Burning hope
by Cecelia90
Summary: Gaia awakens and wrecks havoc on the mortal world, destroying everything in her path. Greek and Roman demigods band together but ultimately fail, when Leo dies in the middle of battle a new path is set to be forged by the hands of the Fates. Can Leo keep up or Will she break under pressure?
1. Chapter 1

**Burning Hope**

Chapter 1

Leonida Sapphire Valdez was falling. At least it felt like she was, her memories where a little fuzzy since being stabbed through the shoulder by wickedly sharp blade. It had been meant for her closest friend, Jason Grace or Sparky as she liked to call him much to his annoyance.

Leo remembered catching the glint of the blade in the corner of her eye as it reflected the sun, she had turned to see what was causing the glare and reacted impulsively when she saw the guy sneaking up behind Jason in the heat of battle. Leo had only just made it when the long dagger pierced through her shoulder eliciting a scream of agony from her throat before it was savagely ripped back out of the bleeding wound and she stumbled into Jason's back.

After that everything just seemed to blur together, Leo recalled telling the tall Roman that she was fine with a trademark lopsided grin as he hastily wrapped her bicep and shoulder as best he could. She remembered telling him that they needed to continue to fight, lest the tide be turned against them. Gaia had fully awakened, but she had been holding back on unleashing her full power for some reason and Leo refused to be caught unaware a second time when Mother Nature decided to unleashed her fury.

They had continued to fight, running on nothing but determination and adrenaline. She recalled the muffled cries of anguish as Roman and Greek demigods fell, she remembered tripping over a petite body, half crushed and almost unrecognisable, almost. Leo recognised the choppy copper hair that was braided with different feathers. The vacant kaleidoscope eyes staring back at her very nearly unhinged Leo completely. Finding Piper's crumpled body burned a new-found hatred for Gaia and her minions that Leo had never felt before and she swung her sword furiously, attacking every enemy she came across and removing them from the fight.

It felt like she had been fighting for minutes when an agonising inferno of pain erupted through her chest and then… falling. Or maybe it was floating, she couldn't really tell anymore over the mind-numbing pain that pierced her entire body. From somewhere from her left, Leo could hear someone talking quietly. At first, she assumed it was Will Solace, but the voice was too low and raspy to be the cheerful Son of Apollo and there was also the fact that he had died a few weeks back. Leo was never able to drown out Nico's heart wrenching sobs as he clung to her after she told him that his boyfriend wasn't coming back.

Echoing around her was a hushed, raspy whisper whose words seemed to nothing more than white noise with a few words that made no sense.

"_Hope burns within… must go back… No! further than that. Towards the beginning of the end… the memories shall give her purpose to succeed…"_

Where the only words Leo could truly make out before her head grew heavy and sore, like it was being filled with air. Leo squeezed her dark eyes shut tightly in hopes of willing the pain away. Her eyelids were heavy as she attempted to force them open and find the one speaking. Before she could, her body grew heavier like lead and the pain slowly ebbed away, leaving behind an irritating tingly, scratchy feeling like pins and needles.

Leo forced her eyes open and was faced with a bus full of rowdy, hyperactive twelve-year olds. She quickly glanced around, taking note of the number of people on the bus and gauged how long it might take to get the emergency exit open before she was either caught or killed. Her movements where slow and far too sluggish for Leo's liking, her slow reactions caused her to jerk against the window in part surprise and part disgust when something distinctly mushy and sticky connected with her cheek.

"Eww… What the hell is that?" She asked no one in particular, reaching up too wipe away the substance with barely hidden disgust.

"That, dear Valdez, was an extra-large chunk of peanut butter and ketchup sandwich. Curtesy of you're best friend, Nancy Bobofit." Someone snickered from the seats behind her causing Leo to snap her head around and face the guy in surprise.

He was a lanky looking kid with thick, curly brown hair and dark, nut brown eyes, like Leo's own features, he had a wispy looking goatee and a brightly coloured Rasta cap pulled down over his ears.

"…What?" She asked dumbly just as another wad of sandwich came sailing over the seats and landed in the guy's hair.

Someone growled lowly in agitation from the seat beside her, Leo turned and was met with furious sea green eyes boring holes into the leather upholstery of the seat in front of them.

That's when everything seemed to click, sitting next to her was none other than Perseus Jackson at age twelve. The anger in his youthful eyes caused a spike of panic to shoot through the young Latina. Having been on the reviving end of his anger several times (accidentally blowing up camp Jupiter mainly), Leo felt pity for whomever had caused the seemingly permanent aggression etched on his face.

"That's it." He snarled, causing Leo to unknowingly shrink further into her seat "She's been doing this since we left Yancy."

Percy moved to get up and hopefully deck the annoying she-devil, but the lanky kid calmly placed a placating hand on his shoulder, a small twitch tugging his lips upwards.

"Relax, will you? We're almost there anyway."

Leo, in all her magnificent wisdom, couldn't fathom what was going on at that moment. She knew Percy and Grover were at Yancy Academy in the few months before he first came to camp. But she also knew that she had been nowhere near New York at that time, Leo recalled the group home in Louisiana due to the impressive scar that coiled around her ankle from the barbed wire that surrounded the property for some strange reason.

Percy opened his mouth to respond when another wad of sandwich came flying at them, this time missing Grover's curly hair completely and smacking Leo in the face, causing her to gag and Percy growled again.

"If she's been doing this for a while then why hasn't she run out of sandwiches already?" Leo found herself saying, internally groaning for opening her mouth in the first place when two sets of eyes landed on her.

"Good question. How about I go over there and ask her before I deck her?" Percy replied with a small grin.

"No, Perce." Grover groaned, smacking his head on the seat, "You're still on probation besides, I actually like peanut butter."

"I don't." Leo whined. "And I don't appreciate being hit with what looks like pus and blood mixed together."

This caused a snort of laughter to escape both boys and Leo took this as a sign that they were at least friends at this moment in time. Nervously tugging on the sleeve of her army fatigue jacket Leo grinned and glanced out the window of the bus, she didn't know the streets of New York all that well, so it was a useless attempt to settle her mind.

"Where are we going anyway?" She asked, changing the subject so Percy wouldn't decide he still wanted to deck Nancy Bobofit.

"A museum." Grover deadpanned, resting his chin on top of his interlaced fingers with an innocent smile.

"Ha ha," Leo returned with no amusement, "can someone give me a genuine answer?"

"Probably not, no." Percy chipped in, keeping a watchful eye on a freckly redhead and a cruel looking woman who had been sending the trio a vicious death glare since Leo had opened her eyes. For a moment Leo could've swore the chaperones eyes flickered to a deep crimson that had her impulsively reach for the magic toolbelt she no longer had.

Instead she reached into one of her many pockets and removed a length of string, some rubber bands and two pencils. She quickly tied the pencils together and took a small, calming breath.

"Okay, fine. Tell me, why would I be _friends_ with Nancy if she's such a bully?"

"You're not friends really, you just so happen to be the unlucky one to share a dorm with her. And you and Percy happen to be the only sane people who see her for the demon that she is." Grover smirked at Leo's groan of annoyance at the thought of being around the girl she had never met before.

"Anything else you wish to be reminded of?" Percy mumbled curiously with no hint of annoyance in his tone, Leo shrugged him off as the bus slowed down to a crawling stop.

Once everyone had filed off, the group of children were led into the museum by the wheelchair bound Mr. Brunner who happily explained several pieces of art that they passed by. Mrs. Dodds stood at the rear of the group to make sure no one wandered off or straggled behind, her leather clad arms folded across her chest like a stoic prison guard. Leo briefly thought back to the disaster field trip when Piper, Jason and herself had been brought to camp after they had spectacularly destroyed the Grand Canyon, she quietly prayed to Hephaestus that this trip wouldn't end so tragically.

Leo tucked the tied together pencils into her pocket and fell into step with the limping Grover and hunched over Percy, she really didn't like this unconfident, young hero. She sighed silently as thunder rumbled ominously above them.

"Okay, catch me up on everything." She said quietly, if only to avoid the stink eye from Mrs. Dodds. "Where are we? How did we meet? What are we supposed to be doing?"

"We go to Yancy Academy," Percy begun, gesturing around them vaguely, "You moved into the same apartment building as me almost a year ago. That's around the time my stepfather convinced you're foster mother to send you here with me when the school year started. We met Grover about a month or so into the school year, that's when Mr. Brunner and Mrs Dodds started here."

"Mrs. Dodds hates you because you refuse to pay attention in any of her classes but always ace the pop quizzes, she gives us." Grover continued flippantly, "Brunner gets a little annoyed with you every now and then but besides that we're all really good friends. We study together most of the time and sometimes you show us your inventions."

Leo calmly nodded along to everything the boys were saying, it seemed normal even though she only arrived on the bus a little while ago. She wondered of this was how Jason felt when he woke up the Wilderness trip.

A painful wave of guilt washed over her at the thought of one of her first real friends who probably died painfully and alone, Leo shook her head quickly clearing away the thoughts because she knew that Jason was probably in camp Jupiter right now without the daughter of Bellona by his side as she was on Circe's Island with her sister.

"What does Mrs. Dodds teach anyway?"

"Pre-algebra." Leo groaned loudly at the idea of numbers and letters jumping over a blackboard and the stern old lady behind grinning at they're misfortune.

"Miss. Valdez, is there something you'd like to share with the class?" Mr. Brunner called gently from the front of the class where he had stopped everyone in front of a _stele_ of a young girl, Leo calmly met the Latin teachers ancient gaze and shrugged nonchalantly.

"Not particularly, sir." She removed the pencils and restarted her work, "You wouldn't happen to have another pencil, would you?" She asked looking between the two she had tied together and the third one she held. After a moment Grover pulled out a fourth pencil and handed it over without question as Leo excitedly continued her work.

"Well then, perhaps you would like to tell everyone what this picture represents." He said kindly, it was more of a demand than a question, but Leo didn't mind, she looked at the grave marker and noticed it was made for a child of Hephaestus, a fire user like her and a cold, shiver of dread and fear crawled up her spine. She shook of her emotions quickly when Grover sent her a questioning look.

"Sure. It's Kronos eating his kids." She answered, ducking her head down to adjust her crossbow.

"Correct Miss. Valdez. Can you tell us why he did this?"

"He was the king Titan and he was worried that when is kids, the gods were born they would overthrow him." She reiterated through clenched teeth. "He was right."

"Will you shut up!" Percy snapped loudly, Leo jerked a little but relaxed when she saw it wasn't directed at her but Nancy and her cronies and snickered a little at her friends' flush of embarrassment.

"Did you care to make a comment, Mr Jackson?"

"No, sir." He mumbled bringing his shoulders up to his ears in efforts to hide himself.

"Very well," Brunner nodded, "Can you explain to the class how Kronos was overthrown by the Gods?"

"Uh… Kronos ate all of his kids except Zeus, right?" Percy paused and Brunner nodded in encouragement, "His wife, Rhea, gave him a rock to eat instead and when Zeus was old enough, he fed his father a mix of wine and mustard so he would throw up his brothers and sisters."

Nancy Bobofit and her friends gagged and sneered at both demigods, "This is ridiculous, like it's so important to know why some dead guy ate his kids."

"Quite right Mr. Jackson. After the Gods were regurgitated by their father, fully grown and unharmed, there was a war between the Titan's and the God's. When Kronos was defeated, the God's cut him into one thousand pieces with his own scythe and tossed him into the pit known as Tartarus. Now, can you explain to Miss. Bobofit why it's so important that we know our history?"

Percy furrowed his brows in thought before he shrugged with a shake of his head and Brunner looked to Leo who was putting the finishing touches to her weapon.

_Because history always repeats itself. _She thought bitterly to herself but shook her head negatively, "No, sorry sir."

"Very well. Half credit to the both of you." Brunner frowned clearly dissatisfied with their answers, stroking his beard thoughtfully he caught the second chaperones eye, "Mrs. Dodds, will you kindly lead the children out for lunch?"

The group left slowly following the creepy prealgebra teacher back outside into the museum courtyard. Leo, Grover and Percy were the last ones to leave when Mr. Brunner called Percy back. The Latin teacher sent Leo a stern look when she moved to stay with her friend.

"It's cool, Leo. I'll meet you guys outside, besides what's the worst that could happen with Brunner?"

"Okay." Leo sighed hesitantly, "But if you need any back up just shout and I'll come running." She joked, grinning when Percy laughed.

"Yeah, you can save me with the strength of a wet paper bag." He shot back giving her a gentle shove towards the door where Grover was waiting patiently even as he nervously shifted his weight.

"C'mon G-man. I'm starving." She hollard while all but running out of the museum with the young satyr trailing behind her.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Leo and Grover sat on the edge of the fountain watching everyone milling around, minding their own business in typical New York fashion. Nancy was sitting on the steps of the museum casually pick pocketing tourists and groups of boys were pelting pigeons with crackers and guffawing when they took off collectively.

"Are all boys that stupid and immature?" Leo mused to herself while digging in her pockets for more Sellotape and a bull clip to finish the crossbow before searched for something to use as ammo.

"Yeah, pretty much all the time." Grover sighed tossing his apple between his hands, keeping a close eye on the museum entrance for Percy's return, "Do you think he's okay?"

"It's Mr. Brunner, Grover. What's the worst that could happen?" Leo answered thinking about how it wasn't the Latin teacher she was concerned about. "Besides he's right there, you shouldn't worry so much."

Percy had just left the museum with Mr. Brunner wheeling out behind him, parking his motorised chair at the base of the handicapped ramp and pulling out a paperback novel. Percy plopped down on the fountains edge with breathy huff and moved to open his own lunch.

"Did you get detention?" Grover asked hesitantly while Leo simply rolled her eyes and stared at the inky black clouds churning above them.

"Nah, not from Brunner anyway." Percy mumbled squinting up at the clouds curiously, "He just wanted to talk to me about something."

"Told you so, there was nothing to worry about." Leo cut in before indicating to the weird weather, "So what do you think, hurricane or freak storm?"

"Hurricane… definitely." Percy answered after a moment of thought he added, "It's almost as if the sky and sea are fighting."

Grover bleated nervously, his warm yet skittish eyes flitting between his two friends with a contemplative expression. His gaze landed on Percy for a long moment as if he was thinking of something profoundly motivating to say.

"Can I have your apple?" He asked and Percy shrugged before handing it over, Leo quickly twisted some copper wires together before abandoning her crossbow to the side and enjoyed the silence before they were rudely interrupted as Nancy dropped her half-eaten lunch in Grover's lap. Nancy was a tall redhead girl with a spray of orange freckles across her nose and cheeks and crooked teeth.

"Yikes! I wasn't aware we were supposed to wear costumes on this trip." Leo muttered sarcastically, ducking her head when Percy choked down a laugh.

"Whatever freak!" Nancy snarled before an ugly smirk made its way across her lips, "At least I know who my dad is. Was your mom such a slag that she couldn't remember who he was? It's no wonder your family tossed you out like garbage."

Leo clenched her jaw tightly to control her anger, she could feel the burning of her inner fire dancing underneath her skin just begging to be used. Before she could do anything, she may have regretted later, Nancy was suddenly sitting butt first in the fountain screeching.

"Percy pushed me!"

Mrs. Dodds was on them like a vulture swooping for its prey. Her bony arms where crossed tightly over her chest and her thin lips were pursed as she observed the scene. Her cold eyes scanned over Grover, Nancy and her cronies before settling on Leo and Percy. Leo swore she saw Dodds eyes flicker with fire for a second before turning back to the cold, blank glare.

"Now, honey…" She began in a sickly-sweet tone that promised something cruel.

"I know. A month erasing workbooks." Percy grumbled causing Mrs. Dodds to glare down her nose at him.

"Follow me." She ordered before turning away and heading back into the museum. Nancy watched smugly as he followed the elderly teacher dejectedly, the satisfaction was soon wiped away from her horrid features when Leo not-so-accidentally stumbled into her and shoved Nancy back into the fountain.

Grover bleated nervously chewing his bottom lip as he watched Percy disappear. His eyes unwillingly travelled to Mr. Brunner who was sitting under his red umbrella eating celery sticks completely engrossed with his novel.

"Grover, hey. Hey relax, okay." Leo tried to sooth his anxiety, "Everything is going to work out just fine, let's go talk to Mr. Brunner."

Grover agreed hurriedly and limped over to the wheelchair bound teacher and explained everything. Leo trailed behind at a more leisurely pace not wishing to be overly involved with the outcome.

It took longer than Leo liked for the young Satyr to catch his mentors' attention. But when he did, the old man smiled kindly and said they would talk about it later, shooting a suspicious glance over at Leo, one that she understood, and Grover raised an eyebrow at. The satyr took to pacing nervously in front of the fountain, biting his cuticles and making sure to keep Leo in his line of sight and keep a watchful eye on the museums' entrance for their friends' reappearance. Surprisingly enough, it only took five agonisingly long minutes for the usually cool mannered child of Hephaestus to lose her temper.

"Would you quit it!" She practically snarled, his nervous shifting made her skin crawl with unease and a hollow anticipation settle in her gut. "If you're so worried about him then why don't you go do something about it."

Predictably, Grover bleated and shook his head advisedly while stuttering about how he was sure Percy was fine and that the worse that could happen is a detention or in school suspension. Leo huffed in annoyance and stood up from the edge of the fountain, throwing her hands up in exasperation.

"Oh, forget it! I'll go, you chicken." She stomped passed Grover, shaking his hands away as he tried to stop her, Leo ran into the museum and followed the sound of large, leathery wings as she pulled out the pencil crossbow and its single copper dart.

* * *

Percy had been led back into the room with the stele the class had been in before lunch. He had been prepared for Mrs. Dodds to force him to apologise to Nancy and buy her a new T-shirt at the gift shop before giving him a months' worth of detention. What he hadn't expected was the pre-algebra teacher to ask him about the stele once more.

"Do you know why the young girl had to die Mr. Jackson?" She asked in a carefully guarded tone.

"No, ma'am." The green-eyed boy replied hesitantly. Mrs. Dodds turned her back on him to regard the grave marker.

"She was dangerous. Much too dangerous for her time, a volatile and hot-headed little girl capable of destroying entire cities with a single tantrum." She hummed lowly in the back of her throat it almost sounded like an animal growling, as if she relished the girls tragic ending.

Percy, not knowing what to make of the peculiar situation remained silent as Mrs. Dodds continued, completely changing the subject with a harsh snarl.

"Did you think you would get away with it honey?"

"I'm sorry, ma'am. I'll try harder." Percy ventured carefully.

Mrs. Dodds shrieked with fury and in an instant a large… thing was in her place. A monster with gigantic, leathery wings and burning lava red eyes. Mrs. Dodds rose up into the air and reached for a fiery, barbed whip strapped to her side, gnashing her teeth.

"Where is it?" The monster screeched once more; Percy only had a second to react before the creature lunged at him long talons poised to claw his face off. Another thing Percy hadn't been expecting - but was ultimately the most normal thing - to appear in his line of sight was the scrawny Latina holding a pencil crossbow and an easy smirk. Leo whistled loudly to gain the monsters attention a second before releasing her ammo.

The copper materiel passed through Mrs. Dodds harmlessly, only serving to anger her more as she swung around in the air, snarling.

"Demigod!" Mrs. Dodds growled, swiping the air next to Leo's ear as the short girl quickly sidestepped. "Did you truly believe you could harm me with your little toy?"

"Nope," Leo quipped easily, "I was distracting you."

The beast's lava red eyes narrowed dangerously as Mr. Brunner rolled into the room as quick as his wheelchair allowed him to and tossed a ballpoint pen through the air.

"What ho, Percy!" He shouted and Percy threw his hand out on instinct and caught the pen. As it landed deftly in his open palm, the small ballpoint transformed into a four-foot-long bronze sword, Percy froze. Mrs. Dodds took his hesitation as an opportunity and lunged, talons ready to gut him.

"Percy swing!" Leo shouted, snapping her friend out of his panic and he swung the sword. It passed through the monster like water and for a split-second Percy wondered if he had done it right or if he was going to be torn apart, but then the monster crumbled into dust with a wheezing hiss.

By the time Percy caught his breath, both Leo and Mr. Brunner had disappeared, and he was alone once more. He left the museum in a confused daze, handing the pen back to the Latin teacher, who smiled and thanked him kindly.

Percy was about join Grover who was nervously shuffling his feet but found his path blocked by a group of girls all wearing matching smirks, at the front stood an overly smug red head.

"I hope Ms. Kerr whooped your butt." Nancy Bobofit grinned widely, displaying her uneven and crooked teeth. Percy blinked in bewilderment asking who she was talking about, Nancy simply rolled her eyes in disgust, "Our pre-algebra teacher, of course."

"What happened to Mrs. Dodds?" Nancy opened her mouth to say something, probably rude and degrading when a voice lilting with laughter snapped from behind Percy.

"Go away Nancy." Leo said seriously before a mischievous smirk overtook her features, "Or perhaps you'd like to take another swim in the fountain before we leave?"

Nancy huffed, mumbling something under here breath and stomping away angrily with her cronies following behind her dutifully. Leo grabbed Percy by the arm and dragged him away, without another word, her mind miles away with one thousand and one thoughts and ideas overlapping one another, resulting in a major headache.

She had no clue as to why she was here or what she was supposed to do. There where at least two dozen things she could think of fixing off the top of her head and at the top of her list was getting Percy to camp as safely and as soon as possible. Apart from that Leo was all but clueless in what she had to do. Maybe she had to reduce the overall casualties or maybe bring the two camps together before Gaia is given the chance to stir.

Leo shook the multitude of thoughts swimming through her and slowly piled onto the bright yellow school bus with the class, deciding to investigate everything later when she was able to fully process what was happening – When there wasn't a nervous satyr, hostile centaur or demon from hell to worry about.

Safely tucked back into her seat next a messy, dark haired, green eyed boy who was still in a state of half shock, Leo closed her eyes and fell into an oblivion of darkness.

* * *

During the next few months, Percy continued to ask Grover and other students about Mrs Dodds randomly. Each time he did Grover would shut down his emotions and reply with short, well-practiced answers. It was near the end of the semester when Percy silently approached Leo in the library late one night while she was 'studying' for the Latin exam they had in the morning.

"Hey…" He murmured softly, carefully eyeing their surroundings.

"Hey, what are you doing out so late? Shouldn't you be getting your beauty sleep?"

Percy gave strained half smile in return as Leo tucked her notes away so her friend would only see boring schoolwork.

"Seems like I'm not the only one in need of it." He sat down across from her indicating to the bags that had etched their way under her chocolate coloured eyes. It was Leo's turn to send a strained smile, she didn't feel like explaining to him that she couldn't sleep due to various nightmares. Percy nodded shallowly, he understood she wasn't comfortable talking about personal issues. "There's something I wanted to talk about…"

Leo met Percy's worried green eyes with her own sparkly brown ones, keeping her full attention on him while pushing away any form of work that had been previously sitting between them.

"What's up buttercup?"

"Well…" Percy hesitated for a moment before sighing, "I was going to Mr Brunner for help about the exam tomorrow and when I got to his office… he wasn't alone, Grover was with him."

'_Crap,'_ She thought as the dark-haired boy nervously ran his fingers through his messy hair sighed heavily.

"I thought maybe he needed help too, you know. But then I heard them talking…" Percy continued wetting his lips hesitantly, "About us… and Mrs Dodds."

"Percy…" Leo wasn't sure what to say, she didn't want the boy she was beginning to see as family to think he was losing his mind. Thankfully, Percy interrupted her before she could continue.

"Mr Brunner said something strange." Percy continued deliberately looking away from the smaller girl, "He said that you didn't belong here. And that you could be dangerous to everyone you meet… Why would he say something like that?"

Leo was silent for several agonisingly long moments before she met his eyes, all traces of joking and hiding behind a smile were gone from her face as she tried to put her mangled thoughts into words.

"Listen, Perce. Before I say anything, I need to know that you trust me, that no matter what I say, or do you will have my back."

'_This is nuts, I'm asking way too much from the guy and there is no way he would stand by me before Grover or before listening to Chiron's sound reasoning.'_ Leo thought bitterly with a hint of panic. _'No one ever really listened to me until it was too late.'_

"Okay," Percy murmured, "I trust you Leo. I swear that I'll always have your back no matter what. So long as you've got mine."

Leo couldn't fight the little smile that tugged at the corner of her mouth as she nodded, "I swear I'll always stand by you, Perce. Mr Brunner is telling the truth, I'm not exactly from here and I definitely don't belong in this school."

Percy opened his mouth to object, but Leo held up both her hands to pacify him momentarily.

"What I mean is… whew this is harder than I thought it would be." Leo blew out a harsh breath between pursed lips and continued. "Do you believe in the afterlife, reincarnation and the works?"

"Are you saying that you've died and came back as someone else?" Percy asked with furrowed brows, of course he understood living many lives, his mother used to tell him stories when he was younger about it, but he never thought for a second it could be true.

"Sort of. I mean I died and came back just not as someone else." She explained slowly. "When I died, I was Leo Valdez and I was fighting a losing war right next to the most extraordinary warriors I've ever met… and then I woke up on a bus full of kids that I had never met with you and Grover telling me that we have known each other since the start of the year.

It took me a while to wrap my head around it, especially with the whole Dodds fiasco," Percy's eyes lit up when the demonic teacher was mentioned. "Oh, yeah. That thing was real and it's only going to get worse. I'm sorry that I might not be much help in the next few weeks, if memory serves me right."

Leo sighed, awkwardly twisting her fingers together as the boy across from her slumped in his seat.

"So, you're saying we don't actually know each other? That we aren't best friends?" Percy asked in such a small voice Leo wished she could take back everything she had said.

'_Wow,'_ Leo thought,_ 'wasn't this situation strangely parallel to when Jason woke up on the wilderness field trip and I tried to convince him we were friends?'_

"No, Perce we are friends. And I know you, I know you better now than I did before and I'm grateful that I do. I knew you before all of this and… I… ugh—" Realising she wasn't making any sense to the twelve-year-old, Leo grunted and flopped backwards into the hardbacked chair.

Percy nibbled his bottom lip, thinking about everything the orphan had said.

"I think I get it… but if we're talking reincarnation and time travel. Does that mean there might be another you running around America?"

That… wasn't something she had given much thought to and now that Percy brought it up a strange and unwelcome feeling settled in her chest. For a second, she thought it was fear but after a second of thought realised it was dread.

What if there was another one of her? What kind of trouble could that cause in the near future, especially when Gaia begins to wake? Leo quickly shook the thoughts away and laughed.

"Gods I hope not. There can only ever be one Leo Valdez on this earth."

"Pretty sure the world can only handle one Bad Girl Supreme." Percy chortled back feeling at ease, now that he was sure he wasn't losing his mind or anything.

The silence between them last for a while, Leo going back to designing a pocket-sized Festus as Percy took out his Latin book and attempted to study some more.

"So…" Percy yawned loudly, stretching his arms above his head, "Does this mean you're from the future or something? Like in that movie?"

"Yeah, I am. No DeLorean though, just some ancient voice whispering in my ear." Leo murmured lowly, far too focused on her design to pay full attention.

"Damn, that sucks." Percy deadpanned, staring at the girl across from him tucking loose curls behind her ear with a small huff. He yawned again, this time unable to hide his tiredness behind a hand, Leo smirked a little when she noticed.

"You should go to bed Perce. Got to ace that Latin exam tomorrow, remember?"

"What about you? You should get some rest soon Leo." He mumbled through another muffled yawn as he tucked his book under his arm and stood up. Leo shrugged indifferently.

"I'm used to long nights, hate leaving unfinished projects." Percy merely nodded in understanding, he may have only met her a few months ago but he knew the difficulty some of the teachers had pulling the girls attention away from the incoherent formulae and life like sketches.

Percy then gave a small sigh, there was no way he could convince her to leave the hunting knife she was designing for sleep, so he quietly sneaked out of the library and back to is dorm room where he found Grover reading his Latin book as if he had always been there.

Leo continued her work in silence until well past midnight when the library door swung open with a quiet squeak followed by someone pointedly clearing their throat. She slowly raised her head and brushed back her hair, calmly meeting the watchful and disappointed eyes of the Latin teacher.

"Um… Hi?" Leo mumbled after a short staring competition between herself and the centaur, once upon a time the ancient eyes would have made her uncomfortable to maintain a steady gaze with but after everything Leo had gone through before suddenly becoming a pre-teen again, Mr Brunner's look of disappointment done nothing but pique her curiosity.

"Good evening, Miss Valdez." He sighed tiredly, "You are aware that the school typically locks the library doors at night, and you are breaking several school rules?"

"Yes," Leo deadpanned, twirling her pencil between her fingers, it's not as if she was planning on burning the place down or anything. Mr Brunner sighed heavily through his nose before meeting glossy, amber eyes with his own deep brown orbs.

"Who are you Miss Valdez, and what are you doing here?" He asked suddenly.

"You know who I am, sir." She replied in a calm and quiet tone, "As for what I'm doing in the library so late…" She held up the textbook all the students in her year had to show she was studying. "There is a big exam tomorrow, sir. I just wanted to make sure I passed it."

Mr Brunner considered the explanation for a solid two minutes before he nodded his head in acceptance turning his chair around to leave.

"I expect you will do well tomorrow, Miss Valdez. Please, return to your dormitory soon and rest. It would not be beneficial for you to exhaust yourself so early in the year."

Leo quickly packed up her things before leaving after the teacher and returned to her dorm room, pleading to every deity that would listen that Nancy was fast asleep, and she wouldn't have to waste her time in the morning filling the girls shampoo with puke-green hair dye.


	3. Chapter 3

The exams where boring and long drawn out, Leo grew more and more agitated as the clock slowly ticked by. Percy sat in the row in front of her scoffing under his breath attempting to read each question that floated over the pages. As the three hours drew to a close and Percy stood to hand in his finished paper, Leo sat back in her chair pretending to look over the questions once more before following the black haired boy out.

Percy punched a wall half way down the corridor in frustration and he glared down at the polished tiles when Leo caught up with him, flashing an easy grin.

"That sucked, huh?"

"Yeah," Percy huffed a laugh, "do you think either of us passed?"

"Doubt it, what did Mr. Brunner say?" She asked curiously, when ever older Percy or Annabeth told the story it had always started out after his arrival at camp and he never spoke about what happened at Yancy except for the run in with the Kindly one.

"Same as always," He grumbled, "That there is no shame in being who I am, that it's a good thing I'm not coming back."

_'Well that was a little mean'_ Leo thought absently. She carefully regarded Percy closely for a moment, his sea green eyes swam with unshed tears before he blinked them away under her scrutiny.

"Well there isn't is there?" She shrugged, "I mean, your not a bad guy, you're protective, always looking out for the little guy. You stand up to bullies cause you know no one else will," She listed off carefully.

"I don't know about anyone else but that's the Percy Jackson that I would rather see walking down the halls compared to what everyone else wants you to be."

They slowly walked down the many hallways as Leo spoke, thinking of the guy that had been dropped into a lot of shit throughout his life but simply got back up and continued to fix mistakes and tried to save everyone.

"You're a saviour Percy. I think you can do anything you want to and you shouldn't let anyone tell you otherwise, no matter who they are," Leo continued softly as they eventually reached the courtyard outside and sat on the steps,"besides where would your super awesome best friend be if I didn't have you backing up my terrible ideas?"

"I think the world would be a much safer place." Percy laughed rolling his pen between his fingers thoughtfully, "Leo… are you… I mean… do you plan on you know… leaving again?"

Leo frowned running a hand through her long, unruly curls fleetingly thinking about cutting it as she watched the students that had finished for the day milling around with friends, enjoying the sun, before they had to go back inside and pack.

"What do you mean, Jackson?"

"I know you don't like sticking around the same place for too long. I guess I was just curious about where you would go this summer."

As much as it was true she typically looked for the first opportunity to leave most foster or group homes, it was just a lot easier to survive on the streets by yourself than it was in most places that relied on children.

Leo hadn't given it much thought over the last few months, in the originally timeline (Yes, she had decided that she had been sent back in time) Leo would have been in the hospital with a broken arm and wrist. She had left the hospital while social workers where being called and her foster father attempted to smooth everything over as a simple accident - he would considering he was the one to kick her down the stairs for 'being in the way'.

"I dunno. I might stick around for a little longer." She replied turning away from him to look through her red backpack for some drawing paper and a pen, completely missing the relieved smile the stretched over the other twelve year olds face.

She pulled out a small stack of paper, each filled with blueprints and notes for future, more tricky and advanced, inventions. The pair fell into a comfortable silence for the next hour while Leo fleshed out her ideas for Festus, she planned to make him easier to access and could only hope she was quick to find the giant metal Dragon when they found camp. Percy casually watched over her shoulder as she sketched out retractable metal plates that would make Festus shrink down to at least one tenth of his original size.

"Are you seriously planning to build a giant dragon?" The green eyed boy eventually asked.

"Who said that I need to build it. Maybe I'm just adding to it."

"Someone who would come up with a sixty foot metal lizard with wings that also breathes fire has to be at least half as crazy as you are," Percy stated with a wide eyed stare before peering at some of her scribbled notes and adding, "and filthy rich."

Leo glanced over some of what she had written down, half Spanish and half greek words stared back at her. Both languages translating perfectly in her head as various priceless jewels and godly metals, she shrugged.

"I guess so," She smirked a little, "Only half as crazy?"

"The world couldn't handle two of you, Valdez."

Leo opened her mouth indignantly when Grover appeared limping over as quick as he could with a giant grin.

"Forget the world, Perce. New York couldn't handle one Leo." Both boys chuckled at Leo's growing indignation as she scoffed and shrugged indifferent at their joking manner.

Instead she stood up, lightly kicked Percy's leg dumping her notes away once more and shrugged on her backpack before heading over to the dormitory buildings to pack up the rest of her meagre amount of belongings. Percy and Grover trailed behind her discussing their summer plans, like most of the troubled yet painfully rich snobs were doing. Unlike the rest of Yancy's population the trio where all heading back to the city.

Percy was thinking about the summer job he would have to get to help his mom out, Leo was making her plans for helping Percy and his mother, Sally, from Montauk to Long Island Sound without anyone getting hurt or vanishing. Grover had been mulling over his less than ideal luck at finding two more powerful demigods and had been praying to every God he could name - even the minor ones - that he wouldn't fail this time.

Leo quickly separated herself from the boys and entered the her shared dorm room at the other side of the building, closing the door as smile fly as she could despite it being the middle of the day she really didn't want to bother the red headed demon she shared her space with. Luck seemed to be on her side as Nancy hardly glanced up from her pink suitcase filled with neatly folded designer clothing.

Leo on the other hand pulled out an old gym bag and uncaringly stuffed the few pairs of jeans and ratty t-shirts she owned inside before grabbing the spare pair of shoes and army jacket. The scuffed combats were thrown on top of the pile, jacket was tied around her waist and the bag finally zipped up. Leo dropped onto the bed with a sigh, she really had no idea what she was going to do.

Absentmindedly she reached into her backpack and pulled out a small red notebook, filled with inked ideas, bulletpoints and questions she had never thought to ask before. The first page consisted of a vague outline of the timeline starting with Percy's arrival at camp and ending with them leaving New Rome - because that seemed to be where everything went down hill. The next few pages where filled with hints and tips, she couldn't outright tell them who had Zues's bolt that would probably get her killed but she new how to IM and that way she would be able to give her friends information about what was happening while they were gone.

* * *

The next few days made Leo's head spin a little, report cards were sent out, then everyone was on their way home, most being picked up by their chauffeurs. Percy and Leo had booked seats on the same greyhound for eleven thirty, Percy would be in Montauk a few hours later and Leo couldn't let Sally be taken. Grover joined them on their ride back to the city, sitting in the isle seat next to Percy as Leo took both seats behind them.

Grover was anxious and sweating nervously from the start, it was amusing to the latina but served to simply agitate the son of the sea god. Grover continuously glanced around them, wiping his temple and biting his nails.

"Looking for kindly ones?" Percy suddenly spoke up causing Grover to jump a few inches from his seat and whip his head around.

"N-no…" He stuttered, "I mean…. I don't know what you're talking about."

Leo stifled her giggles before popping her head between the two seats and grinning wickedly.

"We could refresh your memory of you want?" She offered, the satyr paled a little as he met her eyes.

"You know, Mrs. Dodds at the history museum." Percy continued with a hint of a smirk. "Leo hit her with a crossbow then she exploded into gold dust when I stabbed her with pen-sword."

Grover's once tanned and sunny complexion faded into a pasty white shade, he opened his mouth to speak but the stuttering of the buses engine cut him off.

"That doesn't sound good." Leo muttered, standing up to get a better look out the front window as the engine smoked, "Definitely not good."

The driver cursed and carefully pulled the bus off to the side of the highway seconds before a putrid smelling black smoke erupted from the grating on the floor.

"Sorry, folks. Looks like we're gonna have to get off the bus."

Everyone filed off the bus grumbling about delays and such, Grover continued to mutter quietly about grades and how he 'couldn't fail again' before staring forlorn at the black haired boy. Something had caught Percy's attention across the busy motorway, he turned to Leo with a grin.

"Hey, Valdez. Do you think those socks would fit me?" He jabbed a thumb over his shoulder at three old ladies knitting a massive pair of socks out of electric vote yarn. Despite the cold shiver that ran down her spine, Leo grinned back.

"Maybe if you were Godzilla or Bigfoot." Leo watched in morbid fascination as the one of the sister pulled out a silver and gold shears to snip one life cord. The three fates stared her down with blank expressions. The fate holding a basket of yarn slowly smiled, a wide grin stretching over her wrinkly cracked features as if she was laughing at something only she knew.

_'The time to prove you're the hope will come soon, don't smother your fire just yet.'_ An eerie voice whispered in her mind, smooth and and gentle. It calmed her for a moment before she realised it was one of the Fates that had been speaking.

"…Leo… Leo!" She jerked when Percy shouted directly into her ear, "We're leaving, are you okay?"

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine. Just spaced out a little." She grinned her trademark _'its cool'_ grin brushing past Percy to board the bus again.

The journey passed without much disturbance except Grover attempting to explain things - demigod things - without actually saying anything or sounding nuts. In the end he settled into silence when Percy agreed to let him go back to the apartment building with them.

Which didn't happen, as soon as they had exited the bus Grover's bladder started acting up and be made an emergency rush to the bathroom.

"Whelp, doesn't look like we're going to far with him on out tails." Leo commented nonchalantly glancing around the station at the pedestrian rushing around without a care in the world.

"What do you mean?"

"You really think he can sit in the back of a cab all the way home without making any emergency stops?" Percy nodded shortly, glancing around them, no one was watching them but a couple of kids standing in the middle of a bus station would soon gather unwanted attention.

"I'll get a cab." Leo waved him off as he disappeared, she decided they weren't going to see smelly Gabe if she could help it they would go straight to grand central station and find Sally Jackson. So with the practised ease of a runaway she approached a heavy set man in a pair of khaki shorts and a brightly coloured shirt, he clearly wasn't a local which made dipping her hand into his pocket all the more easier as she 'stumbled' into him.

"Oh, I'm so very sorry…" She bubbled looking down at the dirty floor and not meeting his curious gaze.

"Don't worry about it kid." He muttered and Leo scampered off as quickly as possible without seeming suspicious. She met Percy outside with a waiting cab, the door open as he watched the entrance for her.

"Okay, let's go." She slid in the back and slammed the door shut, setting her bags on the floor in between her feet.

"Where too?"

"Grand central station." Leo jumped in before Percy could give the address. "Figured we should avoid your step dad as long as we can."

Less than five minutes into the ride Percy's guilt gnawed at him, he fumbled with the lock, sea green eyes watching the buildings as they passed slowly.

"I feel bad for leaving him like that." He muttered quietly.

"He'll be fine, Perce. Don't worry about it, we will be seeing him soon."

Percy sent her a curious look at she simply shrugged off, tapping some unheard tune against her leg. The next thing she knew, Percy was handing over a few notes to the driver and hauling her out of the cab.

They entered the station and immediately set towards 'sweet on America' the cute little candy store Percy's mom worked at, they got to the shop which was half empty with little kids excitedly running around with their parents smiling fondly at them.

Leo made sure to avoid watching the happy families and pulled Percy over to the tall, slender woman wearing a blue, red and white uniform with soft brown hair pulled into a high ponytail.

"Hey, Mrs. Jackson," Leo called cheerfully the woman spun around in surprise at being addressed formally, "How's work?"

"Leo, Percy I didn't to see you until tonight." She smiled kindly before her warm, motherly eyes turned stern, "You should both head home, right now."

"But mom," Percy whined, "I don't want to be around Gabe and his poker buddies."

"They smell and are really gross." Leo chimed in, only to receive a disapproving look.

Sally placed her hands on her hips and raised her brow, Leo had only every met her once before when Percy Iris Messaged her while they were heading to Greece but she was extremely kind and worried over everyone.

"Please, the both of you. I will be home soon," her frown quirked up in a half smile, "and I have a surprise for you Percy but only if you head home and don't start trouble."

Percy sighed heavily but nodded in agreement tugging Leo out of the store and away from grand central sadly.


	4. Chapter 4

When they reached the apartment building Leo and Percy parted ways, Leo having to go up another flight of stairs to the floor above. She entered the flat she had no memory of living in before and was met with a choking smell of cigarettes and cheap perfume.

"So you're back then?" A voice called from further in the sitting room and Leo followed it to find her foster mother lounging in a loose bathrobe and slippers, cigarette held precariously between her long, bony fingers.

"That's kinda what happens at boarding school. You leave at summer." Leo muttered back.

"Don't talk back to me, Leah!"

"It's Leo." She snapped back turning away from the woman and heading to the bedroom furthest away, it was her first mistake. After everything one would imagine that Leo would remember the basic instinct of never leaving yourself open for attack, be it from monsters, demigods or vicious and vindictive mortals.

Leo met the rough carpet with a grunt of pain, rolling over she met the sight of her 'doting' foster mother leering over her with a heavy ashtray in her hand. Her thin, pale arm swung above her head and brought the ceramic dish down against Leo's chest and the scrawny latina shot up with a gasp.

She scuttled backwards in attempted to avoide the next blow, only to receive a swift kick to the ribs as the ashtray was dropped and the bony woman moved with extraordinary speed, like an oversized spider. Leo took a few more sharp and painful hits to the side and face before her foster mother lost interest and scurried off to her bedroom shouting behind her that Leo should make herself scarce if she knew what was good for her.

Leo did so, entering her room and rigging the door before glancing around the tiny space. There wasn't much there leo-wise, as if she never spent a night, which made it much easier for her to disappear, she fluttered around the room checking the drawers and cabinet for anything worth taking with her before grabbing her bags and sliding the window up. Carefully stepping out into the fire escape, Leo turned around and slid the window back down and trotted down the metal steps until she reached the floor below and knocked on Percy's window.

"Hey, Perce." She called when it slid up to reveal Percy looking sullen and disgusted. "So, how's smelly Gabe?"

"Still smells." He answered as Leo clambered through the window and dropped her bags, he glance over her slightly hunched frame and the fresh bruised blooming over her face, "You okay? I thought I heard something fall."

"Yeah, that was me. Klutz that I am tripped over the rug." She shrugged, sitting on the edge of the bed. "Your mom should be here in a few, any thoughts on what that surprise is?"

"No, but I hope it's a way to out of this place." He grumbled, "Do you think I should tell her about what happened?"

Leo looked away quickly, she knew it would be better if he did then he would get to camp quicker and avoid the minotaur fiasco and hopefully Sally wouldn't get kidnapped by Hades. But she also knew that these were rare times for him and his mother, their small trips where always treasured especially in the future.

"I don't know, Perce. It's your choice if you feel like you should then do what's right." Leo sighed and Percy looked towards the door as his mother entered the bedroom, both of them plastered on cheery smiles.

"I'm gonna head, I'll see you later Perce."

Percy nodded muttering a quick farewell as she slipped back out the window and down the fire escape.

Leo wandered around for a few hours before deciding that it would be better if she were somewhere Grover would look, so she headed back to the dreaded apartment building and setting herself on the outside steps to wait.

She pulled the weeds from the cracks splitting the cement, for the first time in months letting her mind wander. She thought about when she met Piper in their dorm room at The wilderness school, when Jason appeared along with a bunch of fake memories. She remembered her first quest, freeing the Queen of the Gods and the icy bitch Khione.

She remembered feeling like she finally belonged somewhere, in cabin nine with her half siblings. The exhausting six months of building the Argo II so they could fly or sail to Camp Jupiter, she remembered the immediate dislike for Octavian - the stupid, scrawny scarecrow - and the respect she held for the Roman Praetor Reyna.

But with all the good memories she had at the start, from teasing the soft son of Mars, Frank to playfully flirting with his girlfriend Hazel and doing her best to make Nico feel welcome on the ship. She also remembered the pain of seeing them fall like dominoes, collapsing in battle bloody and broken. Vacant eyes glassy and lifeless, she remembered the echoing screams of fear and anger and the numbing coldness of her own rather sudden death.

"There you are." A voice snapped Leo back to the present, it was Grover standing over her in his mother goat glory, "You two ditched me at the station, where's Percy? We gotta go now!"

'Crap' Leo thought watching the pissed off satyr carefully, "I'm not a hundred percent sure where he is. He may be up stairs playing video games or he may be in smelly Gabe's camero on his way to the beach or he could be-"

"Alright! I get it. He could be anywhere," He sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose tilting his head to the side as if hearing something, "We need to go. Any idea how we can get far away from here as quick as possible?"

Leo grinned mischievously at the half-goat who groaned loudly at the implication of his words.

"Leave it to me and don't ask how I know what I'm about to do." She answered skipping over to the entrance of the underground parking lot, the last thing they needed to talk about was Leo's barely legal education.

"Uh… Leo I... I don't think…" Grover stumbled nervously tugging at his shirt, Leo flight a snort of amusement.

"Fine, you stay out here and I'll be back in a few with a ride. That way you don't know anything about how I got."

Without waiting Leo ran into the parking lot and scanned the few vehicles that were parked in their allocated spots, all shiny and clean and simply begging for her to take. She may not be a child of Hermes but she was pretty good at what they did, so deciding on the quickest, least flashy car - a lovely blue Honda civic - Leo raided her pockets for her trusty, ever present mini Phillips head screwdriver and proceed to unlock the car. Which was ridiculously easy considering it was unalarmed.

Sliding into the drivers seat, she quickly pulled out a few wires and twisted them together. Less than a minute later she was speeding out of the lot to a nervously waiting Grover, who's eyes bulged at the sight of the borrowed car.

"Leo!" He reprimanded, "You can't just steal a car, it could get us arrested!"

"It can get us arrested sure. But it would probably be your first offence so they would let you off easy and I'd just be shipped off to another state." She shrugged, like it was no big deal while Grover stuttered uselessly, "Beside's we're borrowing it now get in."

He did so and then they were driving off to Montauk beach to find the Jackson family before the minotaur was set on them. It had only been an hour at least when Leo the silence was too much.

"So, G-man. What are we running from?"

"Oh you know, angry Gods, killer monsters. Basically everything and anything that wants to kill us."

"Huh... okay that's cool," Leo muttered sarcastically, looking away from the road to watch Grover. It was a few long minutes before he noticed and begun to sweat profusely and his breathing became slightly laboured.

"Leo… Leo… could you keep your eyes on the road please?" He asked meekly, wiping his brow.

"Why? Is it freaking you out?" She swerved a car they had been gaiing on and Grover squealed as the latina grinned.

"Oh so immortalise." He swore, "We're gonna die, we're gonna die. I'm never going to get my searchers license and... I should never have let a twelve year old behind the wheel. Leo you're going to kill us!"

Leo faced the road just in time to avoided being crushed by a hunkering bull-like beast that had been barrelling it's way to the middle of the road. Tires squealed in protest at the sudden turn and Leo breathed a slow breath to calm her racing heart.

"Ye of little faith, Grover. Geez I know how to drive okay?"

"Know how to-? You're twelve and can barely touch the Gods damned pedals!"

"You know there is absolutely nothing stopping me from pulling this car over and making you walk." She threatened half heartedly, "What's a searchers license anyway?"

"It's sort of like a worldwide travel pass. It means I get to join the rest of my kind in search of out God, Pan."

"Neat. So what kinda religion is that? Is like Mormons or…."

Grover bleated angrily, glaring at her before remembering he hadn't actually explained anything. He huffed in frustration.

"No, I'm a Satyr and nearly everyone of us dream of becoming searchers. So that we can find Pan and bring life back to the wild, you Valdez, are a demigod. A child born of a Greek god or goddess and so mortal."

"Okay, makes sense. What was that thing on the road?" She asked, making sure that she didn't act like she knew too much, less it becomes suspicious.

"A monster. Just remember that named have power and you shouldn't throw them around like they mean nothing."

"Got it. And Percy? The freak weather since Christmas? That's because this denigod… thing?"

Grover shrugged one shoulder, "Sort of, yeah. At the winter solstice, when the Gods meet, something important was stolen. They blamed one another as always but the Gods can't take one another's symbols of powers so Zeus is blaming Percy because he assumes that he is Poseidon son."

Leo nodded slowly, she knew the basics of why Zeus had blamed him but really on an assumption?

"Alright. But Percy doesn't know about any of this demigod crap so how could he have taken anything from where ever they were meeting."

"They're ancient beings they don't apply much logic to their accusations unless they're like the goddess of wisdom or something."

Leo chuckled a little and flipped on the window wipers as the first pelts of rain splattered against the glass. The rain got steadily heavier as the sky darkened into night, Grover periodically glanced into the review mirror and sighed before settling into his seat again.

It was quiet and calm and that set Leo's nerves on end, she was hyper-aware of every thing from the shift in the air conditioning to the next roll of thunder to growl over the sky. Her edginess must have effected Grover to some degree, as most Satyrs where highly aware of the emotions around them.

"Leo," Grover mumbled as he stared into the review mirror with wide fear-filled eyes, "Drive faster."

"Grover we're pushing it already. This is a great car, sure but these stupid tires aren't made for this speed in this weather. If I go any faster I can lose control." She spoke lowly panic spiking through her chest, she was well aware of the thumping and groaning of the beast catching up to them but she wasn't willing to kill them to get away quicker.

"Valdez, it's right behind us!" He screamed in fear.

"I know!" She screamed back, anxiety and panic over taking her as she pushed down on the gas and shifted gears. They sped up minutely, the minotaur unable to go any faster with its lumbering side weighing him down.

"Okay, we should be alright of a little bit." She grumbled, noting how Grover calmed down with a heaving sigh of relief. "Don't tell at me under pressure, I make terrible decisions that can get us killed."

"Speeding up wasn't a terrible decision." Grover laughed a little but stopped when Leo frowned, all joking aside.

"It will be if we crash, I can barely see what's ahead of us." She muttered, more to herself that her companion. "We'll make it, I promise."

The wind howled around them as the pulled up to the summer cabins half sunk into the sand of Montauk. Cold, icy sheets of rain slammed against them, forcing the both of them back with every step they took, Grover was the first to reach the door and battered a clenched fist against the peeling paint.

It was minutes before it swung open to reveal the kind face of Sally Jackson, concern and worry lining her soft features.

"Sorry about this Mrs. Jackson but we gotta go." Leo barged through the door as Grover spoke over the boiling storm.

"Percy, we can't stay. Grab a coat." She told get her friend who stared slack jawed between her and Grover who had somewhere along the way lost his pants, revealing shaggy goat legs.

"Leo… how did you get here?" Percy asked carefully as he grabbed his red rain coat.

"I borrowed a car." She replied grabbing his arm and dragging him out to the camero. Sally and Grover where already seated an waiting nervously for the two demigods, Leo slid into the passenger seat as Percy jumped next to Grover in the back.

"Okay does anyone want to tell me what's going on?" Percy demanded a few minutes into them zipping off into the night towards long Island Sound. "How did you guys even get here so fast?"

"I told you, Perce. I borrowed a car-"

"Stole, Valdez. You stole a car." Grover interrupted, earning him the stink eye from both demigods.

"Not true G-man, I was fully intending to return it. " Leo shot back carefully avoiding Mrs. Jackson's disapproving look. "Anywho… I borrowed a car and we drove like maniacs to get here while being chased down by a giant bull man. We lost him a while back, though he might be onto us soon."

"Okay," Percy agreed, "Sure, why not. Where are we going?"

"Some place safe. Somewhere I should have taken you a long time ago, I was being selfish. I just wanted to keep you close to me for as long as I could, Percy please. Can you forgive me for putting you in so much danger?" His mother begged with tear filled eyes.

"Mom I don't…" There was a deafening roar behind them and Leo prayed that it was just the thunder echoing around them.

"Not to interrupt this beautiful moment but can you drive a little faster please?" Grover pleaded sticking his head in between the seat and Sally wordlessly sped up muttering under her breath.

The next moments where a blur, there was a crack of lightning and the feeling of weightlessness as the car flew through the air and crashed in a ditch. Percy frantically trying to push the doors open while Grover moaned pitifully in a semi conscious state.

Finally, Percy pulled himself out through the cracked open roof, hauling Grover after him and his mother quickly joining the duo. Leo tried to moved, her leg wedge between the crushed dash and the leather seat making it nearly impossible to get out of the car.

"Leo!" She heard Percy scream above the hailing wind and rain, "Leo come on! Just to the top of the hill."

She tugged and twisted her leg uselessly, there was no way to free herself without breaking something. The dash compressing downwards was a big problem but the engine sparking the way it was screamed trouble.

"Percy I can't!" She screamed back, a wet mop of black hair appeared in the hole in the roof worry creasing his forehead, "My leg is jammed and I won't be able to get out before the engine blows."

"We can…"

"No! You need to get away before that thing gets here. You and Grover need to get to safety. If your mom hides then she should be okay."

Leo hoped that she would be okay, not completely sure that her half concocted plan would work.

"But…"

"Perce I need you too trust me, please. I know what I'm doing."

Percy struggled for a moment, lightening briefly flashing in the distance light up his tense shoulders before he begrudgingly nodded.

"Alright Valdez, I trust you. Just don't die until I can save you."

"Pfft. Save me, what am I a princess locked in a tower? I save myself Jackson." She shot back with a little smile as he disappeared from sight and Leo went back to attempting to free herself.

It was pointless, unless she had the correct momentum and leverage she wasn't getting out and even then it would probably tear her leg of with the way it was stuck. Seeing no other viable alternative unless someone appeared with the jaws of life, Leo drew in a deep, shuddering breath both hands grabbing just below her knee where the dashboard crushed against the seat, biting her tongue harshly to avoid screaming Leo violently jerked her body to the side, a sickening snap followed.

Leo bit down harder the tangy metallic taste of blood filling her mouth before her spat it out and shifter her position. Thundering footsteps shook the ground, signalling the Minotaurs arrival was nearing and Leo inhaled another raspy breath.

"Okay, I can do this…" She muttered pressing her free foot against the mangled metal and leaning as much of her limited body weight as she could against it, lifting it up ever so slightly. The relief was short-lived when a large snout pressed against the burning car, searching for anything inside. Leo was more than thankful for the growing flames masking her scent when the beast reared back with an ear shattering roar, grabbed the car from the ditch and tossed it across the road.

Just as she had hoped, the momentum of the throw was enough to move the broken dashboard with the added leverage of her weight she was able to free herself and lunge out the broken door seconds before the once prized and beautiful car exploded. 


	5. Chapter 5

She stumbled to her feet at the base of the hill , her vision swam. Percy dragged the still half unconscious satyr carefully, he glanced behind him catching the eye of the minotaur. Sally had disappeared, hopefully she was hiding until it was safe like Leo had suggested.

With a bellowing roar the beast charged, Percy had carefully placed Grover down turning to fully face the monstrosity as it tilted its head downwards, sharp horns glinting menacingly. Leo shuddered at the thought of being impaled by one of those before stumbled into action, painfully limping up the rain soaked hill where Percy carefully sidestepped and continued to taunt the monster with screaming insults.

As she climbed higher Leo felt more and more dizzy, her vision swam in and out of focus. She knew it was foolish to run into a fight without a weapon ans she knew that Percy would be able to kill the monster before she got there but she needed to be sure.

When she reached the point where Grover had been placed, Percy had lured the Minotaur towards a large pine tree at the crest of the hill, where it promptly got hits horn stuck in the trunk of the tree. She reached down and hauled Grover's prone form up and allowed him to lean heavily against her shoulder and continued up the hill which became increasingly more difficult with each pain filled step.

She gritted her teeth through the sharp pain, everytime she stumbled or each time she wanted to turn back and help her friend she would remember why she was doing this. For a better future, so they didn't all die. There was a sudden silence brushing over the hill, the rain seemed to lessen and the storm eased up and Grover's weight evened out. Leo looked to her right over the Satyr's curly head and to the messy mop of black hair and sea green eyes smiling at her crookedly.

"Hey, Valdez." He whispered, Leo smiled slowly registering that he was okay and the Minotaur was gone.

"Hey, Jackson." She replied turning to face the crest of the hill, together they adjusted their friend between them and marched over the hill towards the large farmhouse. Leo didn't recall much after that, only a few hushed words from somewhere above her after they had collapsed on the porch.

* * *

"Ow…" Leo murmured when she woke, refusing to open her eyes to greet the sun which was already burning through her sensitive eyelids. "Did we win?"

She felt the need to ask as someone shuffled around her, there was a low familiar chuckle that had her peeling open her eyes to make sure she wasn't imagining.

"That depends on your definition of winning." Will Solace, standing in his tanned skin and blond, floppy haired glory, smiled at her, "How you feeling? You and your friend made quite the entrance last night."

"Fine," She immediately responded, the standard doctor reply slipping out before she could stop it, "I mean… Percy and Grover are they…"

"They're fine, Percy is still unconscious at the big house but Grover is okay. Satyr's bounce back pretty quick."

Leo forced herself to sit up despite the needle sharp pain and frown from Will.

"Well, doc what's the status report?" She grinned for a moment before that became a little too painful.

"Physically, you've healed pretty well, your leg will hurt for a little bit but walking and training should help. I'd like to talk to you about the bruises on your face."

"I tripped." She stated monotonous, staring directly into Will's big, blue eyes. He stared right back, each waiting for the other to back down.

"Fine," He sighed, "You can leave when you feel ready but I'd like you to come back so I can keep an eye on you."

Leo simply waved him away, she knew that he meant well as a healer and son of Apollo but it did get a little annoying. Slowing resting her feet on the ground, Leo hesitantly tested her weight before pushing herself into a shaky stand. Will watched her curiously, it wasn't unusual to see demigods brushing off injuries, they had nectar and ambrosia to help heal quicker than average mortals. But Will had rarely seen the extensive amount of injuries the new comer had, both old and new bruising, scars and burns littering her frame in places no one would care to look.

Leo shuffled around tugging on her spare clothes and boots uncaring of the watchful eyes following her every move. She knew that the healer had hidden feelings he refused to acknowledge at this point in time, so she ignored him scrutinizing her every move as she brushed her knotted mass of curls into twisted bun.

_"Genial_, _hasta luego__ doc."_ She called over her shoulder leaving the infirmary, barely registering Will's mildly startled look at the slip of Spanish.

Percy hadn't awoken yet, as was expected when a twelve year old demigod took on the Minotaur with so much as a weapon, Grover was avoiding her by hiding in the woods and Leo had been dismissed by the centaur rather quickly.

Chiron had told her to go back to the infirmary until she was fully heeled and when she simply waved off the injuries as minor inconveniences, he had frowned with disappointment before dropping her off at cabin eleven as an undetermined camper. The other's in the cabin were, understandably, disappointed at the revelation and many groaned in annoyance.

"Hey, it's not like this is my fault," Leo shrugged stepping further into the cramped space more than thankful that she had remained up right. She allowed her easy going trademark grin to slip across her features.

"She's right, not everyone here is lucky enough to be claimed." A smooth voice called from the left, "So the rest of you can shut up."

Luke Castellan emerged from the sea of campers with a soft welcoming smile, Leo suppressed a shiver. She had heard about the son of Hermes many times but to see him was something else entirely, he was tall and rather handsome despite the ugly scar that mangled one side of his tanned face.

"So newbie you going to introduce yourself." He asked - more like ordered - and Leo shoved her hands into her pockets searching for something to occupy her.

"Sure, I'm Leo. Undetermined camper," Her hand closed around a coin and she rolled it carefully over fingers like she had watched Jason do with his sword. Would Jason be praetor now or would he still be working to pull the fifth cohort from its dingy depths?

What was Piper doing right now? Had she chopped up her hair with safety scissors yet to get her father's attention? Had she started braiding it with feathers?

"Welcome to cabin eleven, Leo. This is your home now for the unforeseeable future so make yourself comfortable." Luke nudged her over to a small space in the corner of the cabin, "this is your space so make it your own. I can find you a sleeping bag and some toiletries later."

Did she have a nickel in her pocket? It felt like a nickel but she didn't dare pull it out to see in a room full of thieves. Instead she squared her shoulder and moved to the area that would be hers. Her bag was probably still in the destroyed camaro at the bottom of the hill so she had nothing with her.

"No need, I've slept in worse places than a hard floor." She tried to make her voice as calm and flippant as possible but judging from the curious and awkward stares she received it didn't work.

"Alright then," Luke chuckled, placing a heavy hand on her shoulder, Leo not expecting the comforting gesture flinched away. Spinning from the offending person and reached instinctively to her waist where her magic tool belt used to be.

The older boy watched her for a long minute, clearing his throat and turning away to round up the rest of the campers with a frowned. Long fingers still messing around with the coin in her pocket, it had to be a nickel. She waved away her thoughts and followed the cabin to whatever activities they had.

* * *

Everything seemed to drag by but at the same time pass in the blink of an eye, the sun set over the Long Island beach quickly and so Leo was cratered off to the pavilion, forced between the Stoll brothers and handed platters of brisket, freshly baked rolls and fruit. She tossed a quick offering into the fire before taking her seat again, just as uninterested in her introduction to camp as Mr. D was.

Dinner passed with minimal amount of talking, unusual for Leo as she usually always had something to say and before she knew it they where at the campfire with Apollo cabin leading in cheesy songs. Leo watched the flames dancing higher and higher into the sky, rapidly changing colours to show the enthusiasm and carefree nature of the camp.

The happy atmosphere was something entirely different to her first time at camp, everyone had been tense and exhausted beyond belief looking for Percy when she had arrived with Jason and Piper and it had steadily grown after Rachael Dare, the Oracle had collapsed. Was Rachael even here at this point?

Leo cast a quick glance over the multitude of campers pouting a little when she didn't find the shock of curly red hair she was looking for, instead meeting the dark narrowed eyes of Clarisse La Rue, daughter of Ares.

_'Well fuck_,_'_ she thought as Clarisse smirked viciously at her a bloodthirsty gleam in her eye that promised pain. Leo shot her a playful grin and winked, snickering when her smirk faltered for a moment before the other girl sneered. When the camp songs where over Leo dutifully trotted down to cabin eleven and settled into her corner where her backpack sat innocently waiting for her.

When Luke called lights out once everyone was settled and quiet, Leo was already fighting to stay awake. When the cabin darkened and filled with almost silent breaths Leo lost the will to keep her eyes open and watchful and drifted into sleep. How she wished she didn't.

**-/**The flames where the first thing she noticed, it roared hungrily lapping around the room, eating away at everything. The second thing she noticed was the earthy frame and sleepy smile of Gaia standing in the corner of the room.

"You don't scare me anymore Gaia. We will beat you this time, I swear." She growled clenching and unclenching her balled up fists. Mother earth tilted her her to the side.

"How will you manage such a feat, little flame, when you are but asleep?" She laughed, a light mocking sound echoing around the burning room and Leo growled once more as the room swam out of focus.

She was on The Argo II, Hazel stood next to her watching the horizon, her golden orbs unblinking as the reflected the rising sun.

"We can best this," She whispered softly, "If we stand together and find a weak spot then… maybe…"

She remembered this conversation it was before they lost Frank, they had gone up against a small legion of monsters after finding a supposed weak spot it turned into an ambush.

"Yeah… I mean it's not like we can just walk through the front door." She had said that, the whole idea had seemed off to her, the point of entry too easy to find and by pass. She had made the suggestion of walking right into the middle of the room but had been shot down by everyone as joking about.

"That's ridiculous, Leo. They would slaughter us in a second."

The memory melted away and she stood at the edge of the Grand Canyon, Jason next to her with his face scrunched up in pain. She didn't get say anything as the wind picked up violently and tossed her over the edge, her hands scrambled over the loose red rocks looking for a hand hold to no avail. She fell shouting for her blond friend as she did.

A heavy weight was suddenly pulling her arm down with a quick glance she noted the double edged long sword and raised it instantly defensive. She was on the final battlefield, bodies littering the ground, some you could tell how they died but others were trampled over so many times it was difficult to say who it was.

Leo choked down a sob that threatened to tear at her throat. She swung and fought her way through the battle, her eye catching the glinting dagger and she ran. She ran has fast as she could but no matter what she didn't move, it was like she was stuck, frozen in place. The dagger found its mark in Jason's back, he fell to the muddy floor with a look of surprise etched on his battle worn features and gurgled cry of pain.

"No!" She cried, Leo tried to move again but was met with a barrier separating her from the rest of the dying, "No, no, no. Please, no I was supposed to save him please."

She begged and pleaded her mind to let her go for what felt like an age until the barrier dropped and she was met with a long shafted spear with a claw shaped head ripping through her chest. She gasped, lungs shuddering in agony as blood shot up her throat and slipped from her mouth.

Did she die this slowly, how can her mind even remember it? It didn't seem possible.**/-**

Leo snapped awake in a daze, apparently her mind had had enough of torturing her and tossed her back into reality. She felt hands on her shoulders, a phantom weight hovering above her, things like this happened a lot in group homes and certain foster homes. Leo was never one to let it happen to her so she brought her knee up quickly catching whoever it was between the legs if his grunt and mild cursing was any indication. Leo carefully opened her eyes, observing her dark surroundings.

_'Oh, right,' _she thought camp half blood, cabin eleven. Which meant she just kneed an innocent camper. _'Oops.'_

"You were having a nightmare." A voice groaned quietly, it was Travis. Leo squinted to get a better look, no it was Connor, Travis was a heavy sleeper.

"Sorry." She mumbled, hoping he would drop it and go back to sleep.

"You want to talk about it?"

"Not really." Gods, why is he still talking? It's like two in the morning.

"Who's Jason?" He asked in a quiet almost hesitant voice.

"What?" She snapped, she didn't think that she actually called out for him in her sleep. She will forever deny it in the future.

"You calling for him. Said you had to save him or something."

"Oh… he's…" How the hell did she explain this, "Jason is… an old friend. It's been a long time since we saw each other." Leo reclined back on the solid ground, her head resting on her bag before she continued.

"He's pretty amazing, saved my life once or twice," That was an understatement but who's keeping track?, "It's pretty early Stoll. Sorry for waking you."

"'S cool, Leo." The by yawned before laying down and falling asleep way to quickly.

* * *

**A/N **

**A language are either from the book or translated via Google translate.**

***Great, see you later doc.**


	6. Chapter 6

The next morning news circulated the camp that Percy was awake and fully healed. He would be shown around by Annabeth, the daughter of Athena and councillor for cabin six. The morning was dull and seemed to drag out, the Hermes cabin had arts and crafts, which Leo was unable to concentrate on, she desperately wanted to be in the forge with cabin nine where she belonged but that wouldn't happen until she was claimed.

From there she followed her cabin mates to the lava wall, her small frame making it easy to scale the wall despite how it shook and crashed together. Leo respectively declined participating in archery, she was terrible at it, being next to incapable of keeping her mind on the intended target.

Leo lagged behind her cabin mates as they all rushed back to cabin eleven. On her way there she made the mistake of letting her mind wander, she had only been at camp for a couple of days, she knew Percy was sent on his quest on Friday after the botched attempt on his life. That was only a few more days away and she still hadn't the chance to speak with him about their trip here.

"Would you look at this," Someone called, Leo's head snapped up to attention. "A runt out for a walk."

Great they were talking about her, Leo huffed and continued on her way. She really should've known that ignoring the spawn of Ares would only serve to annoy them further.

"Hey! I'm talking to your runt!" Clarisse snarled at her, her meaty fist curling up tightly.

"No, you were talking at me. Talking to me would imply I was part of the conversation at all and you weren't treating me like some stray animal you found," She paused for a minute her eyes scanning over the other girl and her half brothers, "or one of your own."

"Who do you think you are runt?" One of Clarisse's brothers growled taking a threatening step forward.

"I'm Leo. Not that that's something I really need to think about, I've known who I am for a long time. But you guys should really be thinking what you are." She replied easily, stuffing her hands into her pockets.

"What you talking about, punk?" Clarisse asked strangely curious.

_'Oh boy,'_ Leo thought, _'I'm gonna get myself killed.'_

"Well I know kids of Ares are great at wrestling and all but does rolling around in the mud make you strong or mindless animals?"

There was little reaction to her statement for a painfully long two minutes until one of the boys, a squat, burly guy with short brown hair and blue eyes, growled angrily.

"Are you trying to call as animals, runt?"

"No!," Leo shot back quickly, "No, no I wasn't _trying_ to do anything."

Okay, she thought, _maybe I was calling them animals but I couldn't exactly come out and say that without a head start._

"Grab the punk!" Clarisse growled suddenly, an ugly sneer making its way on her face.

"Oh, shit!" Leo all but shouted before tucking tail and taking off towards the lake at extraordinary speed that could rival the nymphs.

She heard their thundering footsteps behind her. Swiftly gaining on her with their longer legs but Leo had the advantage of being small and light. Not to mention she was used to running long distances without stopping. The vast blue lake came into sight quicker than Leo had anticipated along with two smudges sanding next it, probably talking.

The pre-teens startled when Leo came lumbering down the hill, almost tripping over her blurred feet. Percy glanced over his blondes companions shoulder seeing the commotion heading their way, narrowing his green eyes Percy wondered briefly what trouble Leo could get herself into in less than a week.

"Percy!" She shouted, "You're okay!"

"Yeah," He grunted when the smaller body collided with his slightly taller frame. "I'm fine, mom… mom wasn't quick enough though."

"Damn, I'm sorry Perce. I really thought that-" Leo's apology was cut off by the Ares kids catching up breathing heavily.

"I'm gonna bury you punk!" one of them shouted and Leo tried to keep her mouth shut, which ultimately failed.

"Now see?" She asked in a faux condescending tone, "This is exactly what I mean. Acting like rabid, untrained animals." Leo shook her head sadly catching Percy's gaze, shooting him a wink and grin that he returned.

"Absolutely terrible," He jumped in clicking his tongue in disapproval, "running around, causing fights. That's not very well thought out, strategically speaking."

Clarisse growled deep in her throat, dark brown eyes narrowing dangerously. A cruel grin tugged at her thin lips and Leo gulped.

"Well look at this," She declared loudly, "another newbie."

"Yup, that's us. Newbies one and two. More commonly known as Leo and Percy." Leo interrupted loudly. Percy and Annabeth looked between her and Clarisse for a moment.

"Go polish your spear or something Clarisse, there's nothing for you here." Annabeth cut in sharply, hoping to end any dispute that would probably blow up.

"Sure, so I can't run you through with it on friday." The large girl replied with a slick smile, Annabeth tilted her nose into the air haughtily.

_"Errete es korakas,"_ she replied, "you don't stand a chance."

"We're gonna pulverized you punks." She growled with a twitch.

"Not with that anger," Leo cut in, "you know it's always harder to do anything with anger clouding your judgment." She commented, her brows furrowed, why the hell was she still talking?

"What are you doing with these runts anyway, miss princess?"

"Percy meet Clarisse, daughter of Ares." The curly haired blonde huffed, clearly a little hurt by the princess comment.

"Like the war God?" Percy asked unsure with a raised eyebrow, Leo took a subconscious step back.

"Got a problem with that?"

"No, no of course we don't," Leo started before Percy stuck his foot it in.

"Just explains the bad smell." He stated casually, "Leo why didn't you mention it before?"

"I was trying to play it cool, Jackson. Let them know in nicely."

"I didn't think you did anything nice." he shot back with a genuinely innocent expression, completely ignoring the beefy girl that only served to anger Clarisse more.

Annabeth stepped forward before the larger girl could do anything serious, both hands raised in an passive attempt to calm everyone down.

"Now Clarisse," She began nervously chewing her lip, "You know that this isn't the way to go about revenge. Capture the flag is only a few days away, I'm certain that you can teach them a lesson then."

"No," Clarisse stated brushing passed the curly haired blonde,"I think that lesson is due now."

Without warning a large meaty hand clamped around Leo's neck causing a violent shot if panic to shoot through her, she struggled helplessly against the grip as she and Percy where dragged away from the lake and towards the girls bathroom, the daughter of Athena following hesitantly.

Leo had no plans to be drowned in a lavatory or be drenched by phantom plumbing anytime soon, so she fought off the giant slabs of muscle that held her by the scruff of her neck. Which was surprisingly difficult considering in her experience, thrashing around and scratching where effective ways to get out of one's hold unless of course they were a monster or a child of Ares.

When they reached the bathroom Leo was unceremoniously tossed onto the cold tile as Clarisse dragged Percy over to a stall by his hair before fighting to push his head in the toilet bowl.

"The Mexican is next." She growled lowly as Percy forcefully pushed his head backwards against her hands.

"I'm… I'm from Texas." Leo pouted, looking between Clarisse and her siblings, "Not mexico, I've never even been to Mexico."

"Zip it runt!" One of cabin fives occupants snarled.

"Like he can be _'big three'_ material," Clarisse laughed, "The minotaur probably fell over laughing at him."

She put more pressure against Percy's head just as the pipes hidden behind the walls shuddered and water erupted from the sinks and toilets in unison each targeting the bullies, pushing them out of the bathroom and onto the grass outside.

Everyone bar Percy had been completely drenched, Leo found it hilarious much to the blondes ire and both the brunette and blonde choose to visibly display their opposing views openly.

Annabeth stomped out of the bathroom with a scowl, her small fists clenched at her sides as she muttered to herself about capture the flag and quests. Leo, on the other hand, grinned widely despite being soaked with dirty water and giggled as she met Percy's sheepish gaze.

"Sorry about that. I… I don't know what happened." Percy stuttered, nervously rubbing the back of his head. Leo felt like he was mainly apologising to Annabeth, who had been somewhat nice to him since he woke up but she was okay with that because she knew what they would mean to each other in a few short years.

"Ah don't worry about it, Perce. That was a wonderful display of prowess although you should practice more." Leo commented lightly hooking an arm through Percy's and dragging him after the irritated demigod.

"You're not helping, Leo!" Percy all but hissed in her ear, "It was some freak accident with the pipes or something."

"Hmm," She hummed meeting Annabeth's thoughtful grey eyes, "Sure it could've been. I mean one would think the God's could get classier toilets but hey, who are we to judge celestial beings." Leo shrugged nonchalantly eliciting a small giggle from Annabeth before she covered it up with a frown.

"Your dead Prissy, I mean it." Clarisse shouted as she stumbled to her feet.

"Do you want to gargle with toilet water again, Clarisse?" Leo asked innocently.

"Close your mouth for once." Percy continued grinning as Clarisse was dragged away by her siblings spewing angry slurs and various death threats.

Annabeth's grey eyes lit up with amusement as she finally spoke her mind, "I think I want you guys on my team for capture the flag. Come on I want to show you guys the training arena."

They circled the camp grounds twice in almost complete silence, Annabeth would sometimes point at something and tell them about it.

Leo was sure it was fascinating but she couldn't focus on anything other than Percy's quest, she was aware of how little time she had to talk Luke out of his madness but she was unsure if that was supposed to happen. She had witnessed the electric blue cord being snipped at the fruit stand, Grover had lamented that he thought it was Percy's life that had been cut but Leo was almost positive that it was Luke's.

A conch horn blew in the distance echoing around the camp, Annabeth sighed heavily bumping past Leo and towards the cabins.

"What did you do this time, Perce?" She asked automatically, Percy scoffed indignantly.

"Why do people always assume it's me that's done something wrong?"

"Because I don't get caught." Leo quipped before heading towards cabin eleven, she heard Percy mutter something under his breath as he caught up with her. They entered their knew home together, ignoring the two dozen sets of eyes that fell on them as they did.

* * *

The rest of the week flew by in a flurry of activity and routine, Percy excelled in sword fighting whereas Leo did her best to hold back what she knew, years fighting against the earth helped fine tune ones abilities.

Friday afternoon, cabin eleven made their way to the climbing wall. Like had them going up in pairs, Leo nervously shifted from foot to foot waiting for her and Percy's turn. Most of Hermes' kids where quick and nimble being able to reach the top of the wall within a few minutes with minimal amount of damage.

Leo began her climb slowly, keeping pace with her friend as he gathered his bearings when the wall shook violently in attempt to shake the demigods off.

"Come on, Perce." She called down to the black haired boy who struggled to pull himself up a few feet below her, "Just a little more and we're already halfway to the top."

"More like halfway to getting crushed." Percy grunted, pulling himself up with shaking hands.

Leo continued on ahead finding reachable hand and floor hold that Percy would be able to grip, they reached the halfway point slowly narrowly missing a couple of large boulders and lava. Percy heaved a sigh of relief, Leo grinned at him.

"See? That wasn't so bad. Now we just need to get to the top, have you thought about what Annie said? About talking to the Oracle?"

"Not really," Percy mumbled, grasping at another hand hold, "I suppose I could talk to Chiron about it but I wouldn't want to bother him. And Luke says that prophecies are complicated riddles."

Leo chuckled breathlessly, "So what? You're worried you won't understand it?"

"No." He huffed. Leo continued to clamber the wall slightly faster than Percy due to her light weight, "I just… don't want to think it's something when it might mean nothing."

"Helpful," Leo shot back, "Isn't that why your friends with one of the smartest people in camp?"

"Don't flatter yourself Valdez." Percy snorted in amusement just as the wall started to tremble and shake.

"While I'm willing to agree with you that I am incredibly smart and wonderful, I was talking about a specific blonde girl."

Leo hauled herself onto the little ledge at the top of the climbing wall and peered down at Percy's still struggling form.

"Annabeth? I wouldn't say we were friends exactly. I think she may want to kill me most of the time and-"

Percy faltered as the miniscule tremble turned into an earthquake and one sweat soaked hand slipped from from the wall, he threw half his weight to the side as a particularly nasty spray of lava erupted from the wall and caught his shoulder.

"Percy!" Leo shouted, all traces of humour dropping in a second as she watched him struggle to maintain his hold, Leo acted on impulse and with one hand gripping the ledge, she dropped down onto the wall and grabbed her friends hand.

For a painful moment Leo saw nothing but Percy holding onto a tiny ledge of stone as he and Annabeth hung over the black abyss of Tartaraus and fear clogged her throat. Chocolate brown eyes filled with regret met confused sea green as they worked together to remain in place, the shaking slowed down just Luke called up to them that their time was up and they now had a free slot to do as they wished before dinner and capture the flag.

Once their feet were firmly back on the ground Percy carefully placed a gentle hand on Leo's shoulder, his other hand coming up to brush away a few stray tears that had fallen during the flashback.

"Hey, you okay?" He asked softly when the lantina dropped her head and turned to walk away he continued, "Something happened back there, if you want to talk about it… you know I'm always here for you, right?"

Leo drew in a shaky breath and blinked rapidly, "Well where else would you be, Jackson?" She spoke with false confidence, "I'm fine really, I was just... somewhere else for minute."

She had hoped that her vague explanation would satisfy him but he followed her as she walked off towards the woods at the very edge of the valley.

"Leo?" He almost pleaded, "We're friends, you're one of my best friends."

Leo laughed in an attempt to brush off his words but the sound was pathetic and hollow, even to her own ears.

"Yeah, you're my best friend too Percy." She whispered, shaking her head she continued, "I'll be fine, promise. Why don't you go find Grover before dinner, have a heart-to-heart talk or whatever it is guys do. I'll see you later and don't forget what I said."

Leo took off, jogging into the woods for several minutes to make sure Percy wouldn't follow her. Once she was a fair distance away Leo carefully held out her hand and let it ignite.

_'Time to find my dragon and put him together again.'_ She thought traipsing through the dry leaves and twigs mindlessly humming humpty dumpty.


	7. Chapter 7

Leo wandered through the woods, her flames being her only source of light despite the sun forcing its way through the thick canopy of leaves overhead. She had spent the last hour looking for Festus to no avail, instead she had found herself walking a well known path, it was over grown with bushes and tangled roots but Leo had the path to bunker nine mapped out so well she could go there blindfolded.

Upon finding the moss covered rock, Leo smiled fondly remembering her first time at camp. The murderous venti, Coach Hedge saving her life, crashing into the lake and finding Festus that night. It was a lifetime ago but she remembered it like it had just happened, she pressed her lit hand against the cold stone and watched in excitement as the fire spread across the rock revealing a door.

Leo pushed against the door allowing it to swing open easily as if it hadn't been abandoned since the eighteen hundreds. She took a few cautious steps into the darkened bunker, leaving a trail of footprints in the layer of dust in her wake. She extinguished her fire with a content sigh.

"Welcome home, Leo." She mumbled scanning the various blueprints and sketches scattered around in various forms of completion and a suspiciously empty tool belt hanging innocently in the same place she found it before. Grabbing the belt and fastening it around her waist, carefully hidden under her jacket Leo moved over to the wall where battle plans and sketches sat half pinned up.

Hiding half underneath a blueprint of a miniaturized net-bomb Leo found a colourful, crayon drawing of the Argo II her five year old self gave to Tia calllida, more commonly known as Juno. She pulled the picture down, eyes scanning it with fondness before nodding decisively.

"Right-o, we've a couple of hours to kill." She said into the emptiness, placing the picture to the side for reference and pulling out a large sheet of sketching paper. "Let's see if we can make it better this time."

She set an alarm on her watch, tied back her hair and set to work with determination. Less people will die this time round, she'll make sure of it.

Time passed far too quickly for Leo's liking, it felt like minutes went by before her watch beeped loudly alerting her to the time. She huffed a little wiping the motor oil from her hands onto her jeans and standing up, admiring the prototype of her ship and the celestial bronze hunting knife she had half finished. Both were perfect so far.

Leo left the bunker carefully making sure that no one had seen her and ran through the forest until she met up with a huddle of dryad's leaving their homes and making their way up to the pavilion. Leo walked with them easily joining in their conversation about Zeus's growing temper before she caught sight of Percy trailing behind their cabin mates and left the nymphs to meet him.

"Hey, Perce. What's got you down?" She quipped, skipping into the line behind him.

"Hey, Leo." He mumbled keeping his stormy eyes ahead of him, something was bothering him but he continued on his way like nothing was wrong so Leo let him be.

Dinner passed like it always did, platters were passed around then one by one each cabin got up and sacrificed a portion of their meal to the gods. Then everyone got up but instead of heading for the camp fire, the camp split into two halves with Ares leading one and Athena leading the other and they headed into the forest to hide their banners.

Annabeth gave everyone their orders, making sure to keep Leo and Percy as far away from the action as possible. When Percy asked the blonde what her plan was she waved him off telling him to just stay by the creek.

"This is ridiculous." Percy grumbled after ten minutes of listening to the others fighting and the calm bubbling of the creek, Leo leaned against a tree disinterested and incredibly bored as she twisted the hilt of her sword between her fingers.

"Mhm." Leo replied watching the light of the sunset reflect of her blade and into the green foliage above them giving off the appearance of a forest fire.

"What do you think they had in mind, putting us here?"

"Maybe that the only thing we're good at would be a distraction or keeping out of the way."

"It's still stupid. All she said was _'Athena always has a plan'_" Percy mocked, "We are apart of her team, don't we deserve to know what's going on?"

"No, Percy. We're the distraction, we pissed of the enemy on our first day here. What's the first thing Clarisse is going to do? Hunt us down."

"So we're just... bait? So that they can get the flag and win."

Leo nodded shortly, "Yup, pretty much. Sacrificial pawns, really, we mean nothing. Just a means to an end, maybe they have a bet." She mused aloud.

"A bet on what?"

"How fast the bulls attempting to sneak up on us remove each of our limbs." She answered quietly stepping away from her leaning post to stand at Percy's side as he raised his shield, a shiver making its way up his spine.

Clarisse and a bunch of her siblings stomped out of the tree line, with swords and shields, Clarisse brandished her two metre long spear with both hands.

"Cream the punks!" she shouted, her spear crackled with electricity and Leo found herself swallowing nervously.

She quickly backed up into the stream as the Ares kids surrounded them, Leo and Percy stood back to back covering both sides of the on coming attack.

"Uh… Leo? Tell me you have a plan here." Percy whispered tightening the grip on his sword.

"Sure," She replied, her voice rising an octave higher as she assessed everything she could. "Block!"

Percy reacted to the command instinctively, stepping around Leo easily and bringing his shield up to block one sword as Leo dropped her own and kicked out her foot, hooking it behind the Ares kids knee and pulled. The Ares kid's leg buckled beneath him and he fell forward smashing his face in to Percy's shield.

Leo arched over backwards into a handstand, grabbing the hilt of her sword as she flipped back onto her feet and connected with another Ares kid as Percy fought with a third one.

The unclaimed son of Poseidon quickly took care of his opponent before stepping out of the creek to face Clarisse, the girl grinned at the lanky boy before her and lunged forward, the tip of her spear ripping open a wide gash in Gus bicep. Clarisse stabbed maimer into Percy's breastplate just enough for an electrical current to charge through the spear and into Percy, crippling him.

"No… maiming…" The black haired boy gasped as his knees buckled and he fell to the grass. Clarisse snickered, twisting the spear between her hands easily.

"Oh no," She sighed in mock sadness, "I guess I lose my dessert privileges for a week."

Leo struggled for a moment attempting to split her attention between her fight and Percy as he slowly pushed himself up to unsteady feet dropping his shield and bringing his sword up with both hands. Leo chuckled to herself before stepping out of the way of an angry lunge and smacking the flat of her blade against her opponents helmet, dazing him.

"Percy, step back!" Leo shouted as she crouched down grabbing a handful of mud, Clarisse reared back to strike again this time hitting Percy under his armour causing him to stumble back.

Leo threw her handful of mud into the face of Clarisse's brother who had shook off his dizziness and charged at her. She met his sword with a ray of sparks as he growled in anger, Leo quickly disarmed him and whacked him in the chest with the hilt of her sword knocking the air from his lungs.

Percy splashed into the creek with Clarisse following after him menacingly, they stalked one another briefly like lions before Clarisse lunged and Percy slashed his blade through the air. The celestial bronze cut through the wooden shaft of her spear with ease.

"Ah!" Clarisse screeched, "You… you vile corpse-breathed maggot."

Percy quickly hit her between the eyes with the hilt of his sword and Clarisse stumbled backwards. There was a sound scream of triumph followed quickly by elated yells as Luke raced across the boundary line with the red teams banner.

"It was a trick!" Clarisse spat, glaring at Leo and Percy who each shrugged.

"See, Perce. What did I tell you?"

The red banner in Luke's hands shimmered into silver as he crossed into friendly territory and the boar and spear emblem transformed into Hermes' Caucasus. Chiron cantered out of the woods where he had been watching and blew the conch horn, signalling that the game was over.

"Not bad, hero." Annabeth whispered into Percy's ear seconds before she materialized beside him, "Where the heck did you guys learn to fight like that?"

Leo chuckled shrugging her off as Percy scowled in annoyance at the blonde girl who grinned proudly at him.

"That was your plan?" He asked needlessly, "You knew Clarisse would hunt us down so you put us far away from everyone else so that Luke could get the flag."

"I told you," Annabeth sighed, "Athena always has a plan. I got here as quick as I could but you didn't need my help." She shrugged before her grey eyes narrowed on Percy's bicep where Clarisse had grazed him.

"How did you do that?" She asked pointing to the tear in his sleeve.

"Clarisse slashed me with her spear, but I'm sure you were already aware of that." Percy stated sarcastically, Annabeth shook her head.

"No, look at it. It's healed, completely."

"What? I-I don't understand…"

Leo nudged him, jerking her chin towards the shore line silently telling him to step out of the water. Percy nodded in understanding before leaving the creek and almost falling over in exhaustion, Leo and Annabeth shot forwards to steady him as Annabeth cursed loudly.

Percy looked like he was about to question her when a loud howl ripped through the celebrating campers, rendering them silent. Leo hefted her sword once more, her eyes darkening as they met the lava red sockets of the rinho sized hellhound.

_"Percy movimiento!"_ Leo shouted over Annabeth's warning for him to run, _"¡Ahora!_ _Bajarse!"_

She swung her sword in a high arch above her head as the hellhound leapt over them and tackled her friend to the ground, it's razor sharp claws tearing through his armour in an instant. Chiron and the surrounding archers released a multitude of arrows that pierced the monsters neck and it melted into the shadows as if died.

Leo dropped down next to Percy, observing the ruined armour and the shredded tissue under it the weeped blood far too quickly for her liking.

"Percy, look at me." She demanded, patting his cheek lightly, "Come on Perce, hey? I need you to focus, okay?"

"Mmm," He groaned, shifting a little in clear discomfort, "Leo?"

"Yeah, I need you to get the creek, okay? You think you can do that?"

"S'far." Percy slurred, his eye rolling around in their sockets as he failed to remain focused.

"Nah," Leo drawled, "It's right there. Only a few steps away, come on. I'll help you."

"Okay." Percy agreed, slowly sitting up with a pained hiss. He allowed Leo to help him shuffle back into the water, the Latina sighed in relief as the colour immediately returned to his cheeks and the wounds on his chest closed up.

There were a few stunned gasps from the campers as they watched the water heal him almost immediately. The duo were washed in a warm greenish blue light as Percy stumbled over himself in attempt to explain himself.

"This really isn't good." Annabeth muttered her eyes wide at the claiming, "Percy your father…"

Perry's head shot up to see what she was pointing at but the shimmering holographic trident was already fading.

"Is now determined," Chiron spoke into the silence as he kneeled, followed by the rest of the campers.

"My father? What are you talking about?" Percy asked in bewilderment.

"Posidon. Earthshaker, Storm bringing, Father of horses." Chiron stated matter of factly, "Hail, Perseus Jackson, Son of the Sea God."

* * *

**Translation**

*** Percy move! Now! Get down!**


	8. Chapter 8

Percy moved into cabin three that night and Leo was once again an outsider among thieves. Luke had assured him that they would continue their sword practice and pushed him harder than he did before, Annabeth seemed to detest him even more and Clarisse made sure to continue sending him venomous glares from adistance.

Leo remained herself, finding ever chance possible to show her friend that he wasn't any different than before. She often left the Hermes table and joined his at dinner despite the glares she received, mainly from Mr. D for_ 'disrespect'_. Leo doubled her time at bunker nine and completed her blade within two nights of Percy being claimed, she made sure to keep a small backpack in the bunker filled with supplies in case of an emergency.

Leo found Grover nervously pacing in the grass outside cabin three, chewing his cuticle. He stopped pacing a couple of times to knock but stopped himself with a shake of his head and continued.

"Hey, G-man I haven't seen you in a while." Leo called as she approached. Grover spun around with wide eyes.

"Oh, hey Leo." He returned, "You've been impossible to find." He joked turning his back on Percy's cabin completely.

"Just, you know, trying to get a lay of the land." She shrugged glancing over the Satyrs shoulder curiously. "Are you planning on knocking on the door anytime soon?"

Grover's face fell at the reminder of his task and he faced the door again this time knocking on the smooth wood with his hoof and waiting for Percy to answer before he entered.

"Hey Perce… uh… Mr. D wants to see you." He mumbled there was a muffled reply Leo couldn't hear, "He wants to kill… I mean I better let him tell you."

Grover left the cabin to give Percy time to dress and was met with swift wack to the back of head.

"Seriously?" Leo frowned at the worried Satyr, "You almost said that Mr. D wanted to kill him."

"I know but he doesn't," He quickly assured, "It's about the bolt."

Leo frowned deeply, this meant that Percy, Grover and Annabeth were going to leave on their quest soon. She gnawed the corner of her bottom lip in thought as Percy exited his cabin looking sullen and the three of them headed up the big house, Percy twisted a newspaper in between his hands whether it was from nerves or agitation, Leo couldn't tell.

"Hey, Perce I didn't know you read the _'New York Daily news'_." Leo stated eyeing the crumpled paper curiously, Percy handed it over without question allowing Leo to skim over the front page article quickly as they walked.

"Hmm… nothing in here about me…" She mumbled to herself, smirking when Percy scoffed.

"Of course not. It's about how I'm a mentally disturb freak that's always causing trouble."

"Well yeah, I got that from _'expressed violently tendencies'_. But let's be honest here, you probably wouldn't have gotten into half the fights you did in the last year if I had kept my mouth shut."

Percy glanced at her from the corner of his eyes with a small smile, he knew she was trying to cheer him up even if it failed miserably. Leo chuckled and peeked over her shoulder to the dark storm clouds that followed them like ink spilling over white-blue paper in angry blotches.

"Those clouds don't look like they're passing around us."

"They will. Don't worry about it." Grover stated uneasily tugging at the bottom of his camp half-blood shirt.

Mr D and Chiron sat at there table playing pinochle with a couple of invisible opponents, Chiron sat in his fake wheelchair pretending to be interested in his cards.

"Well, well," Mr D drawled without looking up from his own cards, "if it isn't our little celebrity."

He placed his cards down after a minute and regarded the duo with a watery gaze, "Come closer, halfings. But don't expect me to treat you any different because old barnacle-beard is your father."

Mr D's watery eyes fell into a glare as thunder shook the Windows of the big house and lightening crackled overhead but the God continued regardless.

"If I had my way I would cause your molecules to erupt into flames then we could sweep the ashes and be done with it. But Chiron here seems to think this would go against my mission here: To protect you brats from harm."

"Spontaneous combustion is a form of harm." Leo pointed out bluntly before Chiron could speak up, the old centaur smiled at her comment as Mr D sneered.

"Nevertheless, I've retrained myself." He tilted his head in mock thought "I was thinking about turning you into a dolphin and sending you back to your father."

"Mr D, please." Chiron warned causing the God of wine to huff in annoyance.

"Fine," He whined. "There is one more option but it's deadly foolish for any demigod," He stood up and stretched his arms over his head lethargically, "I'm off to Olympus for the emergency meeting if the boy is still here when I get back I'll turn him into an Atlantic bottlenose. And Perseus Jackson, you will soon see that it's a much more sensible option than what Chiron thinks you must do."

He picked up one of his discarded playing cards and twisted it into a plastic security pass before disappearing into thin air leaving behind the smell of grapes lingering in the air. Chiron dropped his winning hand and gave Percy a strained, tired smile.

"Please, Percy sit. And you Grover." He gestured to the recently vacated seats and the demigod and satyr dropped into one each as Leo perched herself on the porch railing.

"Now, Percy. What did you make of the hellhound?" Leo noticed the small shiver that ran up Percy's spine as he spoke the truth.

"It scared me. I don't think I'd still be here if you hadn't shot it."

"You will meet worse," Chiron frowned, "Far worse before you are done."

"Uh… done with… what?" Percy asked in confusion, Chiron ignored him and continued.

"Do you accept?" Percy glanced at Grover who sat with his fingers crossed before looking back and meeting Leo's eyes silently asking what she thought. Leo gave one short nod, telling her friend to accept the quest.

"You haven't told me what it is yet, sir."

"Well thats the hard part," Chiron grimaced before continuing, "The details are difficult."

"Zeus and Poseidon are fighting over something aren't they?" Leo interrupted.

"Something valuable that's been stolen." Percy continued his face flaming up with embarrassment as Chiron watched him curiously, "The weather sincebChristmas has been off…"

"And Annabeth said she overheard something about a theft after they visited Olympus at the winter solstice."

"And… and I've also been… having these dreams." Percy finished and Grover paled dramatically at his hushed admission.

"Oh! I knew it. It's his quest!"

"Hush satyr, only the Oracle can determine." The centaur reclined in his chair stroking his beard thoughtfully, "You are both, in fact, correct."

"Don't sound so surprised." Leo murmured quietly causing Percy to laugh quietly despite the seriousness.

"Your father, Percy and his brother Zeus are fighting. Over something that was stolen, Zeus' lightening bolt."

Percy snorted in nervous laughter, "I'm sorry, What?"

"This is not to be taken lightly, Percy. I do not mean some cardboard zig zag wrapped in tin foil. This is a two foot cylinder of high grade celestial bronze capped in both ends with God level explosives."

"Sweet." Leo commented as Percy looked a little sickly at the thought, "That could probably destroy New York City in the wrong hands and its missing."

"Stolen, Leo. It has been stolen."

"By who?" Percy choked out seemingly managing to swallow passed the lump in his throat.

"By whom," Chiron corrected by force of habit, "and by you. As Zeus assumes that your father put you up to it as they cannot take one another's symbols of power."

"But… that's just crazy!" Percy exclaimed, thunder rolled angrily over the sky. "I've never even been to Olympus!"

Leo watched in mild amusement as Grover and Chiron shifted nervously in their seats.

"Uh... Perce. We don't use the c-word to lord of sky."

"Perhaps…. Paranoid. But then again, Poseidon has attempted to over throw him once before. I believe it was question thirty eight on your final exam."

Leo and Percy stared backed at the ancient centaur blankly, "You do know that we both failed that, right?"

"Uhh… there was something about a golden net, right? Hera, Poseidon and a few others trapped Zeus and refused to let him out until he promised to be a better ruler."

Chiron smiled a little,"Correct. Zeus has never trusted his brother since. Of course Poseidon denies stealing the bolt and took great offence at the accusation, then you came along. The proverbial last straw."

"But I'm just a kid." Percy replied meekly, Grover shifted forward slightly.

"Percy," He said gently, "If you were Zeus and you already thought they Poseidon was trying to overthrow you and then he admits to breaking a sacred oath by fathering a mortal hero that could be used as a weapon against you… wouldn't that twist your toga?"

"But… I didn't do anything. My father - Poseidon - he didn't really have anything to do with the stealing the master bolt, did he?"

"Most thinking observers would agree that thievery isn't in Poseidons nature but he is too proud to convince his brother of this…"

Leo blanked out the rest of what Chiron was saying because she understood the basics of what the Gods argued about and why. They were all pompous morons who preferred to blame everyone else on their wrongdoings and have their children fix their problems.

Instead Leo wondered if she would be able to put together a little weapon before she left camp to meet Percy during his quest. It would be doable, she decided, if she stayed in bunker nine for a couple of days before sneaking out. The finer details of their first quest were a little sketchy in Leo's memory but she knew they went to the St. Louis Arch before meeting the God of War and retrieving his shield from the water park.

"Hey, what are you thinking about?" A soft voice called from the empty space beside her, causing Leo to jump a little at its sudden appearance. It took her a minute to fully comprehend who it could possibly be standing next to her.

"Hey, Annie. I was just thinking how much I love my awful life and how I'm not too keen on ending it just yet."

Annabeth growled and the air around her shimmered as she removed her Yankee baseball cap and materialised.

"Don't call me Annie." She said lowly brushing passed Leo who rolled her eyes.

"Seriously? That's all you have to say?" The blonde shrugged one shoulder watching the smaller girl curiously.

"You don't want to go on this quest even though he's your best friend and could possibly die." This time Leo shrugged one shoulder looking over the blondes shoulder to watch Grover pace nervously and Chiron glance towards the door of the big house.

"More like unofficially go on the quest and help out." Leo lowered her voice, "It's not my quest to go on with the centaurs blessing, of course."

"Wait... are you saying that you want me to go with Percy, the son of my mother's enemy, on a dangerous likely to never return quest to who knows where?"

"Yes." Leo stated seriously, "Will you?"

"Obviously." Annabeth grinned glancing back at Chiron who was watching them with suspicion. "I'll go tell Chiron I volunteer as the third member now."


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Annabeth cantered up to the still wheelchair bound centaur and explained in a hushed whisper that she would be going on the quest and Chiron reluctantly agreed with her. Leo kept a steady gaze on the unopened door leading into the big house all the while pointedly ignoring the inquisitive stares drilling into her back as the minutes ticked by slowly. She was able to ignore them long enough for Percy to exit the big house with a dazed expression, although his brows were pulled together in thought.

"So, how'd it go?" She asked as he passed her in order to slump at the pinochle table, somewhere behind Chiron Leo noticed the air shimmer indicating that Annabeth had donned her cap once more.

"She said that I'd retrieve what was stolen." Percy mumbled, Grover leaned forward swallowing the remains of a diet coke can.

"That's great!"

"What did the Oracle say exactly, Percy. This is crucial information. Recite the prophecy for me." Chiron demanded as gently as he could under the circumstances.

Percy took in a large breath of air before reciting what the mummy had told him about going west and facing the God whose turned, retrieving what was stolen and see it safely returned.

"That's about everything she said," Percy watched Chiron with an innocently apologetic face,

"You are absolutely sure?"

Percy shrugged, "The Oracle did mention something about hope following me on this journey but seemed more like a side note."

Chiron furrowed his brows staring at the table intently before glancing back to the gathered demigods and satyr.

"Sometimes Percy the Oracle's words have double meanings and it doesn't do well to dwell on them too much. The truth isn't always clear until it comes to pass."

Leo zoned out once more, instead thinking of her escape plan. It would be difficult to get away from the Hermes kids', but they had nothing on the bird harpies who patrolled the camp grounds at night. Leo had already decided that she would be joining the trio a few days after they left camp, so that would give her time fo make a weapon and maybe, just maybe start working on mini Festus' armour.

"Leo… Leo are you with me?" Leo was brought out of her mental sketching when Percy jabbed her in the ribs.

"What?" Her dull reaction got a small chuckle out of Percy and Grover, but Chiron remained stoic and reserved with her.

"I asked if you wanted to join me on the quest, I could really use your insight."

"Oh, well geez Perce. I'd love to and all, but your third quest member has already volunteered."

Percy rolled his eyes, sharing a small smile with the short girl, "Let me guess. Annabeth." His eyes found the spot where the blonde was standing, the air around her shimmering like a heat wave before she materialised.

"I've been waiting forever for a quest, seaweed brain. Athena may not be so fond of Poseidon but if you're planning on saving the world then I'm the best person to keep you from messing up." She said with a grin, Percy mirrored her smile easily.

"I take it you already have a plan, Wise girl." He stated rather than asked.

It was an hour later when Leo found herself on top of Half-blood hill waving the three demigods off as they spoke to Chiron and Luke handed Percy a shoebox with magical converse. Leo waited until cabin eleven's councillor left and step up behind the curly haired blonde before her blush could fade completely.

"Isn't he a little old for you, Chase?" She whispered causing Annabeth to jump slightly and swing her knife through the air, which Leo narrowly dodged, chuckling as the daughter of Athena's cheeks flared red once more.

"Hey, Leo check out the super cool sneakers Luke loaned us." Grover shouted before said shoes dragged him halfway down the hill. Leo sent him an encouraging thumbs up.

"Perce, I wanted to wish you luck." She said as she approached him from behind, Percy turned around with a nervous smile, his eyes portraying the anxiety and fear he felt.

"Thanks, any last-minute words of encouragement you think you can spare?"

Leo cast a quick glance over her shoulder to make sure no one was close by and could listen in. Thankfully Annabeth had gone to help Grover with is demon shoes and Argus was already in the van.

"Don't trust everyone you meet." At Percy's confused look she elaborated a little. "Not all Gods are sympathetic to their off spring and a lot of monsters can easily blend in."

Percy gave a short but quick nod, "Okay, got it." He answered before biting his bottom lip nervously, "Leo… there was something else the oracle said to me. She said that I'd fail to save what matters most, what if… what if this quest…"

"What if this is all for nothing and there will be a war between the Gods in ten days anyway?" She finished for him, Percy nodded sullenly, and Leo sighed grabbing his bag. "Then I guess you're just going to have to tell Chiron that you can't go on because you don't believe in yourself."

"What? No!" Percy grabbed the straps of his backpack and tugged them back onto his shoulder, "I need to go on this quest."

"Good, then remember what I said, and I will meet you at the St. Louis Arch in a few days." With that Leo spun on her heel and vanished as Argus honked the vans horn to get the son of the sea's attention.

Leo ran through the camp avoiding campers easily until she reached the outskirts of the woods where a small and delicate hand grabbed her. Long, cold fingers wrapped around her neck with ease. At first Leo thought it was Pipers hand and almost let the name slip past her lips before remembering the Cherokee girl wasn't here. Instead she was met with one of the most beautiful girls Leo had ever seen, Goddesses included. Selena Beauregard, cabin ten's leader stood behind her with the light from camp silhouetting her petite frame, making the daughter of Aphrodite appear unearthly with black ringlets falling around her shoulders, perfectly held in place by a bright blue headband and her sapphire blue eyes shone somewhat eerily.

"Hi." She chirped kindly. Leo fought down the shiver that tried to make its way down her spine. "Where are you going?"

"Uhm... I'm just taking a look." Leo winced internally at how ridiculous she sounded but Silena continued to smile gently.

"In the woods by yourself?" She asked, glancing over Leo's shoulder hesitantly, "Do you even have a weapon?"

"Do you?" The fire user countered instantly causing Silena to giggle and nervously chew the corner of her lip as she shook her head.

"I'm not that great of a fighter… but I really want to learn." She peered at the shorter girl hopefully. "The camp was buzzing about how you and your friend got here while fighting off monsters and I was thinking that if you're not too busy…"

It took Leo a full two minutes after the girl trailed off to understand what Silena was asking.

"Oh! Oh… uh… sure but you should probably know that it was Percy who fought the Minotaur, I was just there to help out."

Silena shook her head a little. "I overheard some of the Satyrs talking and one of them mentioned that Grover said you built a crossbow out of pencils and you were able to hotwire a car."

Leo shrugged, building things was just what she was used to doing, especially in the heat of battle Leo hand learned to follow her instincts when it came to throwing items together.

"So, I'm sort of on a tight schedule at the minute…" Seeing the girls soft features fall Leo sighed through her nose, "Hey! How about you come with me? It'll be exciting and educational."

"Really?" Silena asked in surprise, "You want me to come with you into the woods with no way of fending off monsters?"

Leo shrugged once more she understood how Silena felt and wanted to help in anyway she could, "Sure as long as you don't mind getting a little dirty."

Without waiting for an answer, the Latina spun on her heel and took off into the thick trees it only took a moment for her to vanish in the shadows and Silena to squeaked followed by hurried footsteps.

"Leo?" A hushed whisper echoed through the dark and Leo hummed an almost silent response, "Where are we going?"

"Just follow me, I know this path like the back of my hand."

Silena remained silent and Leo assumed the girl had nodded squinting through the darkness the thick canopy above them created in an effort to see the unclaimed demigod better.

After several twists and turns and Silena losing her footing twice by tripping over unseen rocks and roots the girl huffed in annoyance.

"Do you even know what you're doing?" She growled and Leo swore she heard a foot stomping behind her, "I think we might be lost, Leo."

"We're not lost, we're right where we need to be."

"That doesn't make any sense." She replied, "We are literally nowhere. It's actually surprising nothing has attacked us yet."

"That's because they know to stay away." Leo mumbled, stepping into a small clearing in front of a moss-covered rock and igniting her hand briefly illuminating Silena's shocked face before pressing it to the cold stone and extinguishing it.

The daughter of Aphrodite could open her mouth to say anything the door to bunker nine swung open and Leo ducked inside with a large grin, Silena following behind her still in shock but with a hint of awe.

"Welcome to bunker nine Miss. Beauregard."

Silena pivoted slowly taking in as much of the bunker as she could, her jaw slightly agape.

"Nine? As in cabin nine?" Leo nodded affirmative and Silena floundered, "but… but… how? And y-you are… you lit your hand on fire like…"

"Seriously?" Leo couldn't help but be confused, "How is that thing you focus on? I mean we live in a world where the Greek Gods and mythical monsters exist and me controlling fire has you speechless."

"I'm sorry, it was a surprise." She spoke softly averting her eyes away timidly, "How did you find this place?"

"An accident." Leo shrugged waltzing over to the worktable she has left her designs on. "Hey, young Jedi do you think you could help me out with this?"

"Uh… sure but I'm not much for creating things," Silena warned practically skipping to the table glancing over the multitude of designs before settling on the dragon's metal skeleton. "What is this?"

"Don't worry about it. I just need to keep an eye on the time and if you could start heating up the forge over there, please."

The girls disappeared and Leo started her work by carving out a stone mould that would shape her knife which took longer than she had hoped it would. Silena had looked over the knifes drawing with a frown.

"Couldn't you make it less deadly looking?" Leo glanced up curiously from shaping the mould.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean you are making a fie inch hunting knife with a serrated edge." Silena stated crossing her arms with a smug quirk to her lips, "I'm not stupid."

"I never said you were, and it's being made for protection. Besides it's not like I'm forging it from a metal that can hurt mortals."

Silena shrugged but remained quiet until Leo moved onto melting the celestial bronze and pouring it into the mould to set.

"Maybe you should. There are some dangerous people out there." Leo nodded in agreement and Silena suddenly changed the subject. "Can you make me one? A dagger, I mean."

A slow smile stretched across Leo's face as she nodded and grabbed some sketching paper to flesh out a quick design, listening to every idea the dark-haired girl enthusiastically put forward.

A few hours later and Leo had not only finished her forging her weapon but had eventually convinced the dark-haired girl to not tell anyone else in camp about the bunker or what the Latina was planning on doing when the sun eventually rose.

As the duo calmly walked through the forest together, Leo explained why she needed to leave camp and help Percy on his quest.

"But it's not right," Silena protested once more as the outskirts of camp came into view. "You can't just hijack someone else's quest like that. Quests are given to certain people for a reason, just like this one was given to Percy because Zeus blames him for the master bolts disappearance."

"Yeah but old thunder butt is wrong." Leo shot back, ignoring the rumble of thunder that rolled over the clear blue sky. "As far as we know the thief could be right under our noses or sitting in Olympus but because the gods are always so focused on blaming one another, we may never find out."

Silena released a slow breath like she was centring herself before she lost her temper before sapphire blue orbs met with Leo's dark hazel ones.

"Okay. I get it, he's your best friend and you don't want to see him get hurt because of someone else's mistake." Silena sighed once more before her gaze narrowed curiously. "How are you even planning on catching up with them?"

Leo remained silent for several long minutes, earlier she had denied anything illegal when she helped Grover get Percy to camp but that was most of her plan to be able to meet with group in St. Louis in the next day or two.

"I'll figure something out by tonight." She decided to comment flippantly instead of giving the inquisitive girl the straight answer she was hoping for.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Leo worked well into the early hours of the morning as Silena slumped across one of the workstations. As she finished repacking her supplies and sheathing her now perfectly cooled knife in the magic toolbelt, Leo shrugged on her pack and gently shook the daughter of Aphrodite awake.

"Hey, Silena." She whispered, "It's time to go."

"Go? Go where?" The girl asked groggily rubbing sleep from her eye. Leo huffed a small laugh at how childlike she sounded.

"You're going back to your cabin; your siblings might be starting to worry and I'm going to do something stupid."

Silena stood up and regarded Leo with a strange look as she combed her fingers through her hair.

"Is this something more stupid than going on a quest that isn't yours? Especially considering that there is already three people on this quest that are unlikely to return."

Leo remained silent as she left the bunker with Silena trailing after her, she had thought of all the possible ways she could get out of camp without being seen but Leo was more than aware of the close eye Chiron had kept on her and Percy since they arrived. Now with Percy gone the centaur would probably focus in keeping her safely inside the camp boarders.

A quick glance at her watch told Leo that it was far too early for any campers to be awake meaning that there would still be harpies doing their patrols before breakfast.

"No, probably not," She finally answered. "As long as I can get to the stables without getting caught."

"The stables?" Silena hummed to herself. "Use Porkpie, he is the most compliant of the Pegasi. Offer him a sugar cube or two and he's all yours."

"Huh… and I thought you were against me leaving."

"I still am, Valdez." Silena looked down at the path of grass they were following, "But I think Percy needs you on this quest. I mean you guys seem pretty close and I may have just met the both of you, but I can tell he needs you and you need him."

Silena shrugged one shoulder awkwardly taking a few steps away from the Latina as they breached the treeline before she continued.

"There's still an hour until people start waking up so you should leave now."

Leo nodded slowly turning to face her but Silena was already gone, she shrugged off the strange chill that crawled up her spine and trotted towards the stables where she was met with three Pegasi.

"Crap," She mumbled looking at each one in turn and huffing, "Why is nothing ever easy? Okay I don't speak horse, but I need to borrow Porkpie for a day or two."

A grey dappled Pegasus shook his mane and flicked his ears before stomping one hoof in a short series that Leo was quickly able to decipher as _what can I help with._

"Okay, I need your help to get to a friend. He's the son of Poseidon and he's on a quest but they don't know what they're walking in to."

Porkpie whinnied a little tapping his hoof once more, _I will help our Lord._

Leo laughed a little, slowly approaching the animal and stroking his nose whispering a quick thanks. She quickly set up his saddle and swung on to his back, Porkpie needed no further encouragement to start a leisurely trot onto the open fields of the camp. The Pegasus whinnied, tossing his large head back and shaking out his mane before thundering off and taking to the clear blue skies above.

It didn't take long for Leo to grow restless and impatient on the mythical creatures back, here mind working a mile a minute refusing to give her a moment to collect her baring's. She knew that something was waiting for the two demigods and satyr in St. Louis but wasn't entirely sure what, so Leo did what she did best in a crisis; she reached into her pockets and tinkered with whatever she pulled out.

They flight to St. Louis was long and painfully boring, Leo only stopped once when her legs fell asleep and Porkpie needed to refuel before they took off to the skies once more. If it was any other day, perhaps a non-threatening day she would have taken a few moments to admire the wisps of cloud vapour that surrounded them as they flew. It was a magical sight, the clouds shifted and danced around the feathers of Porkpie's wings as he flew carefully towards their destination.

The icy cold air whipped around Leo, pushing her hair into her face every now and then but she ignored the annoying impulse to brush it back. Instead gripping onto the Pegasus' mane as he took an unexpected dive, barrelling them towards the dark grey asphalt. As Porkpie came to a slow stand still landing, Leo shook off any lingering exhaustion and reached into her toolbelt to receive a sugar cube and feeding it to the winged horse before he took off to the lightening skies.

Leo observed her surroundings, making sure no mortals saw something they shouldn't have and casually waltzed down market street towards the gateway arch. She arrived several minutes after the trio did, Annabeth was spouting facts about the architecture used as Percy inconspicuously rolled his eyes at her enthusiasm. Grover was simply freaking out, glancing around them every few seconds, wiping the gathering sweat from his brow repeatedly. Leo snorted a little at the misfits that she knew one day people would look up to.

"You know the Gods' symbol of power, right?" Percy asked quietly, when his companions nodded, he continued, "Doesn't… you know who have a hat like Annabeth's'? Something that makes him invisible."

"It's called the Helm of Darkness. It is like my cap but a million times more powerful. I saw it during the winter solstice meeting." At Percy's look of confusion, she clarified that it was the only time Hades was allowed to leave the Underworld.

"So, if it makes him invisible then how do we know he isn't watching us… right now?" He asked hesitantly, Leo grinned taking their lapse in judgment to sneak up and scare the group.

"You don't." She whispered in Annabeth's ear, causing the girl to jump in fright. "I mean you can never be too careful, but you can never be one hundred percent sure of who your enemies are."

"What in Athena's name are you doing here?" The other girl demanded. "How did you even know where we would be?"

Leo openly scoffed at the blonde's clear mistrust as they stepped into the elevator car with a large woman and a chihuahua.

"I flew here, and I know a lot of things that you don't, Chase."

"Oh really? Like what?"

"Like how this innocent trip is going to end in a disaster." Leo mumbled as the dog yapped loudly, showing off its rows of sharp teeth. Leo unconsciously took a step closer to the son of Poseidon.

Annabeth opened her mouth to say something but stopped and glowered when Percy wrapped an arm around Leo's shoulder like it was normal. Grover swallowed nervously as he stood between the two girls and the oblivious boy who calmly spoke to the woman about her dog.

Leo walked around the observation deck half listening to all the changes Annabeth would have made silently agreeing with larger windows because the view was amazing but having a see-through floor could be dangerous.

"But it could make people scared. Seeing everything that's two hundred meters below them." She found herself commenting as the park ranger herded them back into the cart.

Grover and Annabeth stepped in first with two other tourists inside, Percy gently puled Leo back in line with him, informing their friends that they would meet them on the ground soon.

"So…" Percy drawled as they waited, slowly rocking back and forth on his heels. "How was getting here?"

"Long and boring. My legs were numb half the time and I couldn't focus on anything."

"I sent medusa's head to Olympus after blowing up a bus." He countered dully; Leo blinked for a second before laughing loudly.

"Perce, we should take a few steps away from the dragon lady and her son."

The large woman smiled at the two demigods, her forked tongue snaking over her teeth as the small dog jumped to the floor and started yapping loudly at Percy. The son of the sea god followed Leo's lead, stumbling back into the wall. The chihuahua bared its teeth, foam seeping from between its black lips, a family of three huddled closer to the observation decks only exit praying that the ranger came back.

"Alright, son." The denim clad woman sighed. "If you insist."

"Wait did you just call—" Leo stomped on Percy's foot before he could continue muttering under her breath.

"Perce that's not a dog. It's a chimera." She shuddered trying to pull him closer to the windows as the dog shifted and changed. "It is a giant, fire-breathing, poisonous monster, Percy. So, back the hell up and get ready."

Before he could ask what, he was getting ready for the chimera lunged at them, Leo whipped out her newly forged blade and swiped at the beast's bloody maw. It crouched low at the threat and growled as the dragon lady spoke.

"You should be honoured, Percy Jackson. Lord Zeus rarely allows me to test young heroes like yourselves. I am the mother of monsters, the Echidna!" She cried; her head tilted back as if she was shouting it to the heavens.

"Are all monsters this dramatic when trying to kill demigods?" Leo snorted finally understanding how so many useless demigods – Octavian – had survived.

"Isn't that a type of anteater?" Percy asked dumbly and the mother of monsters screamed in indignation commanding her son to attack. Percy had yet to uncap his sword, so as the monster stalked forward, Leo lunged swiping at the three-metre long serpent tail as it roared.

"Percy! A little help would be appreciated!" The moment she took her eyes from the chimera is pounced, sinking its razor-sharp teeth into her arm. Leo screamed bloody Mary as waves of agony travelled up her arm.

Pain was something she was used to feeling, whether it was emotional or physical, but it wasn't something she was always able to tune out. Unlike the pain she felt after the minotaur incident, a chimera sinking its fangs into her sword arm rendering her almost defenceless was an unimaginable pain she couldn't swallow. Her scream snapped Percy out of his shock as he uncapped Riptide and jumped in front of her, slashing and parrying around the monster as Leo scrambled for her fallen weapon. Percy taunted the chimera into blasting a column of fire he dove away from, Leo stood in the midst of the fire unhurt instead feeling rejuvenated. The cold burn of the chimera's bite dissipated along with the heat. The blast left the carpet smouldering in places and a wide gaping hole in the side of the arch.

"Percy, I think it's time to go." She called, slowly backing up. Percy caught onto her idea and followed her lead, choosing to ignore the fact his time travelling, once dead friend seemed immune to fire as his leg seared in agony from his own chimera bite.

"Well, it was lovely meeting you Mrs. Anteater, but we should really be going. Still a long way to go."

Echidna screeched and the chimera lunged at them, but Percy and Leo had wrapped an arm around each other before diving headfirst from the Arch and towards the Mississippi river.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Leo's loud scream was drowned out by the harsh whistling of the wind as they plummeted towards the Mississippi river. Percy reacted by closing his eyes and pulling the Latina closer in anticipation as above them the chimera and echidna yowled at the loss of their prey. Leo felt her eyes water, unsure if it was due to the wind whipping around them or if it was because she was going to smash into a river from two hundred metres and she didn't know how to swim.

All her thoughts and fears came to a standstill when the duo impacted against the water's surface like wet cement. Percy's grip loosened as they sank below the surface and he became wedged in the muck at the bottom of the river. On instinct Leo kicked her legs, praying it would stop her from getting stuck in the mud when she couldn't breathe underwater.

Percy was looking around him in wonder as he calmly took soothing breathes underwater, above him Leo flailed sluggishly in the dark green surroundings. She stole a quick glance to her black-haired friend as he casually spoke with a _Naiad, _She shook her head as her lungs burned with the lack of oxygen_. _Leo eventually breached the murky surface next to a large McDonalds sign, Percy appeared next to her not a moment later wrapping an arm around her and pushing them both to the rivers' edge.

"You can't swim." He stated rather than asked as they climbed the muddy banks, a small smirk quirked at the corner of his mouth. Leo sent him a glare trying and failing to wipe the slimy feeling from her skin.

"Never had the time to learn." She grumbled stalking off in the direction of the flashing lights and sirens.

"Could've mentioned that before we dived from the Arch." He grumbled back following her, his grip tightening around his sword.

"I was a little busy trying not to die." She snarked ignoring the little girl that pointed at the two of them.

Percy and Leo ducked their heads as the passed by several news reporters, Leo tried her best to appear less of a mess than she was as she was still soaked from the river.

"Percy!" Grover bleated in the middle of the chaos, "Leo! Thank the Gods, you guys are alright."

"I wouldn't be thanking them for anything." Leo mumbled to herself as Annabeth stomped up to them with a scowl and fire in her eyes, ready to scold them for destroying the Arch.

"We can't leave you alone for five minutes without something happening to you." She scowled, crossing her arms. "What did you two do?"

"We… sort of… fell." Percy said sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck, Leo rolled her eyes with a humourless laugh.

"Two hundred metres!"

"Yup, we fell straight into the river and now I think we should get out of here." Leo interrupted the blondes oncoming rant.

Percy quickly launched into a brief explanation of the chimera, Echidna and the talk he had with the Naiad. They passed another news reporter talking about the accident.

"That's right, Dan. We are receiving reports that Percy Jackson and a close friend of his, Leo Valdez who disappeared around the same time, were seen today at the St. Louis Arch shortly before the incident that took place…"

"Ah _Mierda_." Leo swore, grabbing Percy's arm and pulling him away. "We need to get to Santa Monica. _Now_."

No one argued with her as they ran to the Amtrak station and boarded it before it took off to Denver. No one said a thing throughout the journey, Grover never said a word about food and Annabeth kept her lips pressed together about everything that happened despite how she was practically bursting with questions.

The arrived in Denver the next afternoon, Grover anxiously reminding them they only had seven days until the solstice. Annabeth seemed even more on edge than the worrywart protector as she suggested contacting Camp Half-Blood and Percy agreed.

"Okay, you three contact Chiron and I'll see what I can grab, supply wise."

"What are you planning, Leo?" Grover asked warily as the half walked, half stumbled into a garage with a Do-it-yourself car wash. Leo rolled her eyes at him pulling out the wallet she had pilfered a while back.

"I'm going to buy stuff."

Grover and Annabeth's shoulders dropped with relief and Leo could understand why. With her and Percy being classed as fugitives and the stunt at the Arch, no one wanted any more attention drawn their way. She scampered off towards the store and grinned when she faintly heard Percy mutter that the money she was using was stolen.

Inside the store Leo was quick to grab bottled water and a couple of protein bars, keeping in mind the tourist she took the wallet from had more of his Canadian money than American dollars. By the time she had successfully stowed everything away and made it back to the trio, the call had ended, and they were all looking more anxious and worried than before.

"So, what happened?" She asked eyeing the three carefully.

"Not much," Percy lied. "We should get some dinner. Do you know anywhere near by, Leo?"

"What am I, a road map?" She scoffed before inclining her a little. "I think there is a diner not far from here."

They group talked off to find the diner and Leo passed the water around which they carefully sipped at. The diner was mostly empty so the four had no trouble finding a booth they were able to squeeze themselves into, a waitress approached giving them a look Leo was all too familiar with as she peered at them closely.

"Uhm… hi… we'd like to order?"

"Can you kids have money to pay for it?" She asked sceptically. Grover's calm façade began to tremble as Annabeth and Percy shared a worried look. Leo opened her mouth to spin some heartfelt tale but was cut off by the deafening roar of a motorbike engine.

Everyone turned to look out of the large windows as a mad clad in heavy leather and chains swung of his bike and stalked into the diner, sliding into the booth with the four demigods. Without sparing the waitress a glance he growled, "It's on me."

Leo watched impassively as the waitress scurried away to the kitchen and the other diners turned back to their meals. She glanced over the god of war and snorted quietly at his demeanour.

"So, you're old seaweed's kid." He stated rather than asked, Percy's fists clenched under the table as he glared.

"What's it to you?"

"Percy that's Ares." Leo drawled looking out the window with disinterest, the gods face lit up momentarily when he saw her.

"You." He pointed, "Shouldn't you be hiding from a mean ol' drunk in Illinois?"

"New Jersey." She countered. "How about we just jump to the reason you came down from your heavenly cloud to bug us."

Ares grinned slowly as Annabeth gasped in shock and surprise, "Guy's, he's a God. You can't just say things like that. It's… it's _disrespectful!"_

The waitress came back, timidly dropping plates of food and milkshakes onto the table before disappearing again.

"Please, the only thing the gods have ever really done for us that I would be thankful for is putting us on this earth." Leo said lowly picking at the onion rings. "Even then I'd like to say _screw you._"

"Look, kid." Ares sighed. "You've been given a crappy hand but that's the Fates business, got nothing to do with the blacksmith or any of the gods."

"No because you just hate taking responsibility for your own mistakes. And the hand that I have to play means everything when the last chapter happens."

Ares turned away from her, playing off his uneasiness by offering Percy some help with the quest if he did the war god a tiny favour. Which is how they found themselves heading towards an abandoned waterpark.

"Well, this certainly looks romantic."

"Yeah, if this is where Ares brings his girlfriend then I'd hate to see what she looks like." Leo snickered at Percy's cluelessness as the other two gasped in offence.

"Percy, you should be careful about what you say." Annabeth warned, Grover nodded.

"Ares' girlfriend can be a little… temperamental. Especially when it comes to her looks."

Percy looked between the two of them, confused. "Why? Is his girlfriend Echidna?"

Leo almost fell over in laughter as she scaled the gates, dropping her army jacket over the barbed wire before hopping over it with ease, landing on the concreate with a dull thud.

"No Perce, Aphrodite."

"Isn't she married to someone?" He asked, Grover shrugged as he flew over the gates. "Hephaestus or something?"

"She is but she doesn't care." Leo replied looking through the bars. "Why do you think she has so many kids at camp. It's like a passive aggressive _Te odio _to Zeus because he forced them together."

"Oh, and her and Ares…?"

"Another _screw you_. Are you two just going to stand there or are you going to help us?"

Percy and Annabeth looked between one another before they scaled the gates together, each holding the wire down as the climbed over it.

They explored the abandoned waterpark until they came across the gift shop and Annabeth rushed off to find clean clothes, sending a warning glare to Percy when he tried to stop her.

"If Leo is allowed to steal things on a quest then so am I." She scowled before turning on her heel and stalking off to the bathroom to change. Leo smirked at Percy's dumbfounded expression.

"She's got a point, you know." Percy shrugged her off grumbling something about girls being complicated and left for the other bathroom to change his shirt.

Leo chose to stay in her own clothing despite the gritty feeling they gave her after drying off from the impromptu swim in the Mississippi river. While the others happily raided the gift shop, Leo waited by the checkout thinking about what Ares had said to her.

She knew that wasn't his or her father's fault what happened to her mother, she had started the fire in her fear and anger, but Gaea had been the one to kill her. It wasn't the gods fault that Aunt Rosa sent her away or that she seemed to be sent to horrible mortals, it wasn't their fault that Gaea took over the earth and everyone died.

It was their fault, the demigods. The Greeks and Romans that couldn't get along despite the rising threat and because of this they lost, even though then came together in the end they had already lost. Leo sniffled, awkwardly clearing her throat when Grover appeared next to her looking concerned as she wiped a few stray tears from her cheeks.

"Everybody ready?" She asked, plastering on an easy-going grin. "We have a shield to find."

They found the _'The Thrill Ride 'o Love' _easily enough as Percy asked questions about Aphrodite and Ares' relationship. Annabeth gave him short and simple answers as she assessed the broken-down ride.

"What about her husband, Hephaestus?"

"Well he isn't the handsomest of gods, Zeus tossed him from Mount Olympus when he was a baby and crippled him." Leo explained patiently, ignoring Annabeth's glare. "Good with his hands though, real clever too. But the Goddess of Beauty is kinda shallow about appearances, she likes brawn rather than brains."

"I think I remember a story about him catching Aphrodite and Ares together… but the details are a little fuzzy." Percy admitted, blushing a little at the blondes impressed look. "So, should we… get the shield?"

Annabeth screeched, turning an interesting shade of vermillion as the two debated about being seen together on a love ride. Grover and Leo shared an amused look before the Latina got annoyed and moved to slide into the empty pool.

"If you two keep flirting like that I'm gonna hurl." She whispered in the blondes' ear when she passed. Annabeth froze, seeming to fall into a state of shock as her jaw dropped and grey eyes widened to the size of dinner plates. "Perce, come give me a hand with this."

Percy slid down the side of the pool along with, the slowly walked up to the wooden rowboat that sat in the middle of the empty bowl. Annabeth rushed after them, apparently over her humiliation enough to glare at Leo.

"I think something is wrong," She started pointing to one of the cupid statues. "There's a Greek letter, _Eta_, carved on the statues. I think we're in a trap."

"Of course, it's a trap." Leo commented stuffing a pink silk scarf into her backpack while Percy hefted the shield onto his arm, "Just not for us."

Something broke when Percy grabbed the shield, Leo groaned even though the trap was anticipated it was still an inconvenience. The cupid statues suddenly came to life, drawing their bows and firing across the pool to make a smooth, golden net that sealed them in.

"_Joder_." Leo grumbled jumping into the boat pulling the other two in along with her. "Annabeth, I need you to stay focused on getting out of here no matter what happens."

The blonde nodded in agreement with a peculiar look, Percy grumbled a little as he looked around them, the cupids' heads snapped back to reveal cameras with blinking red lights indicating they were recording. A voice boomed around them.

"Live to Olympus in one minute and fifty-eight seconds… fifty-seven…"

"Hephaestus." The blonde sighed in realisation. "I should've known, _Eta_ is _H. _This was meant to catch Ares and his wife, but it caught us. We're going to look like absolute fools on live T.V."

"Oh, come on Anna banana, didn't you ever dream of being a star?" Leo quipped, already pulling out her blade and cutting Percy's sleeve, ignoring his indignant _'Hey!'_

Annabeth was about to answer when the waterspouts opened and thousands of tiny, metallic spiders poured out and she shrieked at the sight of them. She was paralysed with fear as the robots swarmed them, Percy did his best to keep them from getting on the boat as Leo continued to make her grappling hook by breaking one of the benches and wrapping a chunk of the splintered wood in the fabric.

"Leo! The spiders!" Percy squawked, the robots spinning gold thread to try and tie them down. Leo felt a cold sweat break out over her forehead as the voice counted closer to one and Annabeth remained frozen in terror. Leo let out a slew of unsavoury Spanish that would have had Aunt Rosa reaching for her rosary.

"Perce focus on Annie for a minute." She ordered, lighting her hand on fire and tossing it to a swarm of spiders that scuttled away from her. "The water, Percy it's a water ride!"

"Yeah, I know that!"

"Grover!" She called up to the flying satyr. "I need you to switch the ride on."

"But—"

"Just trust me!" Grover nodded and flew off into the booth where he slammed every possible button he could. "Perce, water. You're the son of Poseidon."

Percy's eyes lit up with sudden realisation as Leo tossed another hand full of flames at the spiders that were covering the front of the boat. She reached into her toolbelt and thanked the gods when she pulled out a length of rope, quickly attaching it around the piece of wood.

Leo pulled Annabeth into the only seat available and fastened the seatbelt as the voice finished the count down and the pipes exploded with water. Leo and Percy clung to one another as the tidal wave slammed into the boat, dousing them with fresh water and sending them down the tunnel. Percy concentrated on controlling the boat, moving it down to their destination without crashing and Leo tied the end of her rope to the back of the boat. She nervously wrapped the other end of the rope in her hands, getting ready to aim it at one of the cupids.

"Oh… crap." She vaguely heard Percy mumble. "Uhm… Leo, the gates are chained."

"Get ready to jump." She answered calmly, spinning the grapple in her hand waiting for the right moment.

"Are you crazy!" Annabeth screamed as Percy undid her seatbelt.

"Unless you want to be smashed to pieces." Percy defended the insane idea, "Leo, we need to jump, now!"

"No, you two will jump." She told them finally tossing the grapple out, smirking when it wrapped around one of the cupids, the piece of wood lodging itself under the camera perfectly so it wouldn't come loose.

"Now!" Annabeth ordered grabbing Percy's hand and used the edge of the boat as a springboard to give them the leverage to fly through the air. Leo waited a few seconds longer, the boat jerked back as the rope became taut, launching her up where she was able to kick off the sealed gates and over the wall. She landed heavily, with much more grace than the other three did.

They had spiralled down from where Grover had caught the two demigod's mid-air and crashed into a photo board. Leo made her way over to them, virtually unharmed as they rolled their shoulders and rubbed sore spots. Leo turned to the still rolling cupid-cams and with no emotion, raised one hand to flip off every single Olympian watching them.

"Not cool, dad." She grumbled as Percy practically told them to go to hell. "Now who's dumbass idea was it to jump with the highest velocity possible?"

The group chuckled as the cupid-cams shut off leaving them in an echo of silence and a feeling drained after the rush of adrenaline wore off.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

The quartet slowly made their way back to the diner to meet Ares, despite the time limit on their quest they were reluctant to be in proximity with the war god for longer than necessary.

"Well, well. Looks like you didn't get yourselves killed after all." Ares guffawed in lieu of a greeting. Percy immediately bristled at the lack of empathy in the gods voice.

"You knew it was a trap!"

"Should've seen the look on the crippled blacksmiths face when he snagged a couple of kids, especially his own spawn." Ares laughed once more before grimacing as he set hidden eyes on Leo. "Hera ain't so happy with you kid."

Leo shrugged one shoulder folding her arms over her chest, "And I suppose _Papá _isn't pleased either, everything needs to be perfectly timed."

Ares grumbled under his breath about difficult kids before pointing to an animal transport van. "See that truck, it's on its way to LA with a quick stop in Vegas."

"Seriously?" Percy levelled the god with a piercing look which was ignored in favour of opening the back door with a snap of his fingers.

"I'm giving you a free ride West, punk. Quit your whinging, here." Ares tossed a backpack into Percy's arms carelessly. "Little something for doing the job."

Percy scowled, ready to toss the backpack back at the god when Grover kicked his fake foot out and connected with his shin, murmuring a grateful thanks. Percy and Leo shared a look, Leo silently telling him they should go. The black-haired boy gave a short nod, turning towards the transport truck when Ares called out for Leo to stop.

"Listen, kid. You really shouldn't be on this quest; it isn't the right time—"

"The fates put me here for a reason. To help Percy with what's coming, he needs me and I'm not about to turn my back on him because the gods say so." She snapped, baring her teeth viciously.

"Loyal." Ares mused with interest. "Hera mentioned you were as stubborn as a flame; she's taken quite the shining to you."

"Yeah, I figured it would take a lot to get the queen of the heavens to grace a demigod with her presence." Leo snorted in return; Area grinned a little as she turned to catch up with her companions. "And Lord Ares, don't think I don't know what you did."

Ares sneered before turning away and swinging a leg over his motorcycle and revving the engine.

"Best hurry up and get in the truck, kid. They'll leave without ya." He warned before taking off, Leo jogged towards her companions and clambered into the back of the transport truck. Grover was hissing Greek profanities under his breath as Annabeth and Percy eyed him cautiously.

She settled into the straw that littered the metal floor, wrinkling her nose at the stench of livestock, pushing away unwanted memories. Leo vaguely wondered why the thoughts of some of her foster homes still bothered her, it wasn't like it had just happened.

"Well this is…disgusting." She said softly earning a soft snort of amusement from Percy and equal glares from the other two.

"This animal endangerment, Leo!" Grover ground out forcefully tearing his eyes from the sad looking lion. "It's cruel and evil, you humans have no respect for the wild anymore or the creatures it gives you."

"Okay, how about we just ease back a little." Percy quickly cut in, noticing how Leo shrunk in on herself with each scathing word that left the irritated satyr. Grover glanced between the two dark-haired kids for a second, catching their varied expressions before his own anger dropped to one of regret.

"Sorry," He mumbled staring at the happy meals stuffed into the zebra and antelope's cages. "It's just not fair to see people treat animals so unfairly."

"If it bothers everyone so much then why don't you fix it." Leo suggested into the stale air as the truck's engine spluttered to life. "Swap the food and cut the balloon off the antelope's horn. I wouldn't recommend trying anything with the zebra though."

Annabeth jumped at the chance to help the imprisoned animals and immediately set to cutting through the balloon's ribbon as Grover spoke to the antelope and Percy carefully removed the mountain of turnips from the lion's cage and traded them for the happy meal burgers.

Afterwards they all settled against burlap sacks filled with vegetables and shared the rations Ares had put into the backpack. Percy split a double stuffed Oreo and shoved one half into Leo's hand after she gave her second one to Grover. She huffed a little and shook her head, even when Percy playfully narrowed his eyes at her. Leo closed her eyes to listen to the sound of the rumbling engine, her breathing slowed as the sounds calmed her into a state of relaxation.

"We should tell her." Percy whispered into the silence, catching Annabeth's glowing gaze from the other side of the truck.

"What?" She scoffed in a hushed tone. "You can't be serious, Percy. How do you think that conversation will go? She'd take off before we could even get it back."

"She had nothing to do with either of them, Okay? I trust her."

"Trust her? You trust her more than me? More than Luke or even the gods? _Di immortales _it's obvious she hates the gods. Why wouldn't she do something like this?!"

"Yeah, I do." Percy snapped; Leo almost grinned at his defensive tone. "I trust her more than anyone, I've known her longer and so far, she's had my back. She trusts me… with a lot of things."

"Whatever. Don't expect me to be nice when she turns out to be the bad guy and throws that _trust _back in your face." The blonde sneered.

Leo waited for a painfully long time, making sure the daughter of Athena had fell asleep before she spoke up startling the boy she was beginning to see as a brother.

"Thanks, Perce." She mumbled wiping her nose on the sleeve of her jacket. "Not many people would have stuck up for me like that."

"Well then their idiots." Percy shrugged in the dark, spinning riptide in between his fingers. "Annabeth seems to think that because you're not claimed you had to be the one to steal Zeus' bolt and the helm. I told her it was insane but… Luke suggested it during the IM and now she won't listen."

"Of course, she won't." Leo grumbled. "The guy she has a crush on gave her the idea and she's too proud to say she could be wrong. Besides there are over a dozen unclaimed kids at camp right now, why did she decide I was the traitor?"

Percy shrugged once more, at a complete loss and unable to defend the blonde's accusations. Percy had tried to see it from her perspective, but it was like the girl had decided Leo was the bad guy without any proof to back up her claim. He wasn't stupid, maybe not as smart as Annabeth, but he tried and no matter how much he tried to interpret her sudden hostility towards the Latina, Percy always seemed to come up blank.

"I honestly don't know, Leo. I just can't understand why she doesn't like you now. Or why she is so quick to believe you have anything to do with this." He sighed, his thumping with the beginning of a migraine. "Can we talk about something else? Anything else."

Leo inhaled a short breath deciding to tell Percy about the foster families she was with before she ended up at Camp Half-blood for the first time with Jason and Piper.

"When my mom died, Aunt Rosa wouldn't take me in, she screamed at the social workers that I was _un niño demonio_, that I was a curse upon our family. For a long time, I believed her, and I believed that I deserved what happened to me at some of the homes I was sent to. That God was punishing me for not saving _mi mama._" She paused to clear her throat that suddenly became very tight_._

"Leo, you don't have to tell me anything." Percy quietly assured her; Leo shook her head even though she knew he couldn't see.

"I want to, I have to tell someone who won't judge but will just… listen. The first home I was sent to had this barn; I was still in Texas so really most places had barns. But this one was different; it was where they kept the horses, but it was also where you were made to sleep if you misbehaved. As you can imagine I was sent to the barn a lot. I was there for two years, until I ran away."

I left my home and travelled across states until I ended up in Louisiana and some local _Policía_ picked me up. Another social worker was called to take my case and I was sent to a group home, it was a little nicer but some of the workers had a real mean streak to them. I only stayed there a month at the most, I drifted around and wound up in another foster home, the woman was nice and sweet, but her husband was ruthless and cruel. I only stayed because there were two kids younger than me, eight and six, I think. "

Whenever the husband came home from work, he was always angry and if he hadn't stopped on the way home for a drink it was the first thing he demanded. He'd have a few beers then decide to take his aggression out on his wife, I understood that it was wrong to hurt women the way he was but she always told me to look after the other two boys – because I was older, I guess."

One day he hits her a little too hard and she falls unconscious. He started looking for _'the ungrateful brats'_ that he had to put up with, we were hiding in the attic. I will never forget the look of sheer terror on their faces when he came up the attic stairs, but I will never regret standing up to that monster."

"What happened Leo? You couldn't have been older than twelve."

"I was eight when my mom died and ten when I first ran away. I spent nearly six months travelling after that and the one month in the group home before running off again. I stayed in that foster home for a year before that night." She explained. "I prayed… I prayed every night for it to stop, and when I put myself between that man and those boys. When he first laid a hand on me, I prayed to every deity I knew about that that someone would stop him. But no one came and I was left to fend for myself against a fully grown adult." Leo swallowed thickly, meeting sea green with mahogany brown. "And that is why I hate them, because if any of them truly cared about their children, why wouldn't they stop their pain?"

She didn't expect an answer, Percy didn't have one all he could do was take her shaking hand in his own and squeeze. A silent and gentle reminder that he was there for her, no matter what came their way he would always have her back, Leo returned the gesture.

"You're the first and only person I've ever told." She quietly admitted, wiping her nose against her sleeve. Percy gave a breathy laugh.

"I never told you what Gabe did. He always gave subtle threats, but I never told anyone about the times when my mom was working late and he would throw stuff at me, like his work boots or empty bottles. I just learned how to hide the bruises under clothing."

"You didn't have to tell me, Perce. I saw it the first day I met you, it was hidden deep in your eyes, but it was there." She slid a little closer to him as Percy wrapped an arm around her shoulder and Leo curled into his side.

"Thank you for trusting me, Leo."

"I'll always trust you, Perce."

Leo dreamed of an abandoned prison, it was cold and eerie. She shivered as a phantom wind blew through the narrow corridor, it was too dark to make anything out except the grey stone was smeared with something. She spun around when someone screamed in agony quickly followed by a man giving orders in a harsh and gruff tone. Leo hesitantly shuffled towards the noise, stopping at a set of double doors that she stepped through like they were non-existent. She stopped short when her gaze landed on a group of men in their thirties, one was using a blunt axe to remove part of a much older man's leg. Leo gagged, one hand coming up to cover her mouth as she looked away from the gruesome scene.

The scene melted away, Leo found herself on the Argo II surrounded by the rest of the seven, Nico and the Hunters of Artemis. They were all equally beaten up and exhausted by smiling in victory. Leo slowly swept her eyes over each one of them, savouring the looks of bliss on her friends faces, her smile fell when a shadow shrouded them, and three old women appeared in a thick greyish smoke.

_This is your future, warrior… _One rasped, sweeping an ancient arm over the scene that was frozen in place.

_However, it will not be easily achieved… you will suffer great loss and pain… both at the hands of your own and mortals… _The one on the left whispered.

_This journey shall end at the entrance to Hades' realm. Go no further with your friends, continue your mission with the daughter of war…_

Leo wanted to tell the three fates to go to hell, but her instincts screamed that they had risked a lot to speak to her in the first place.

'Do you know how I got here?' She found herself asking nervously chewing the corner of her lip. The fate in the middle grinned much like she had at the fruit stand while the others remained stoic. 'I mean I died… I know I did.'

_You did perish in the last battle with Gaea along with many of your friends. We brought your soul back, placed it in your younger body with your memories which you have learned to supress. _The fate continued with pride.

'What was the other thing I saw? What was happening?'

_Do not fret yourself on a future that may not happen child. Focus on what is to come, you must get Percy Jackson to the entrance to the Underworld but go no further._

'Why? What will happen if I go into the Underworld with Percy?

The fates looked down at the polished wood of the Argo II appearing sad,_ some threads of the future have already been woven. You will find yourself at the Doors of Death one day Leonida Valdez but do not make the mistake of entering the Crooked Ones home too soon. _

Leo jerked awake with a short gasp, Percy jostling her shoulder until she woke. Annabeth sent her a strange look and Grover dove behind the turnip sacks, Percy directed her to the same hiding place as the back of the truck opened and one of the men entered sending a mean sneer to the lion.

"Man, I wish I hauled appliances instead of these smelly bastards." The trucker grumbled as he choked on the smell the others had gotten used to. He poured water into separate bowls for each of the animals before splashing the rest of the jug onto the lion who roared indignantly.

Grover tensed at the action his fist clenched in anger and for a fleeting moment Leo felt worried that the satyr would jump out from their hiding place and murder the guy. The trucker continued to taunt the animals, turning to the zebra and telling him about the magic show he would be in, he stopped when someone rapped their knuckles against the outside of the truck. When the trucker, Maurice left to argue with his partner, Eddie, Annabeth reappeared.

"This can't be legal." She said, twisting her cap. Grover bleated in outrage as he listened to the lion speak.

"Leo says this is an animal smuggling ring."

"I never said that." Leo denied causing Grover to smirk a little and send a shallow nod to the lion.

"Leo Valdez meet Leo the Albino lion."

"Very funny," Leo drawled, stepping over the sacks as Percy stared at the zebra in confusion. "You can hear the zebra because they are a type of horse. Come on, let's get them out of here."

She went to unlock the heavy padlock on the lion's cage as Percy knocked the hilt of Riptide against the other two.

"Are you sure it's safe to free the lion first?" Annabeth questioned a little nervously. Leo wished she could stop her eyes from rolling.

"Are you going to question everything I do?" She shot back as she used a paperclip to unlock the padlock and swing the cage door open. The zebra jumped clean over Maurice's head and into the dessert swiftly followed by the lion and antelope, Grover gave the three animals a quick blessing in goat talk before they vanished. "We should probably leave now."

"Finally, something we can agree on." Annabeth snarked under her breath as the dashed out of the truck and down the brightly lit street. They passed the Monte Carlo and MGM along with the pyramids and a small replica of the statue of Liberty.

Grover and Annabeth powered on ahead as Leo and Percy dutifully trailed behind keeping a watchful gaze on their surroundings. Leo tilted her head back against a wall when the four came to a sudden dead end with nothing around them except the Lotus Hotel and Casino. The doorman beckoned them inside with a winning smile, handing each of them a plastic card.

"Why don't you kids take a minute." He suggested as he beckoned over another man wearing a Hawaiian shirt decorated with lotus flowers. "This gentleman here will take care of your things and give you your room key."

"Welcome to the Lotus Hotel, here is your room key. Just head to the top floor it's room 4001."

"Thanks," Leo accepted the key, turning the card in her hand. "Before we go up can you tell me about the LotusCash cards?"

"Oh, absolutely. Not to worry about the bill, everything has been taken care of. It gives you an unlimited amount of cash to use on any of the facilities the hotel has to offer. Now if you need anything, extra bubbles or targets for the shooting range call the front desk."

"Sweet." Percy chimed in, "What about when we leave? Do we just hand the cards back?"

The man's smile wavered slightly before he chuckled as if he wasn't sure how to answer and Leo jumped in. "What he means is, does this only work for the stuff in the hotel?"

"No, no. I am sure they can be of use outside. But please, enjoy your stay for now." The man ushered them towards the elevator which they took to the top floor.

"So, what do we do now?" Percy asked aloud as they took in the large room and view of Las Vegas from the floor to ceiling windows.

"Now? I'm going to take a shower." Leo replied matter of fact before skipping off to the bathroom. Uncaring if they had just walked into a trap or not.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

When Leo finally emerged from the scalding spray of the shower wrapped in a fluffy towel, Grover and Annabeth had vanished, probably chose to explore the surroundings than wait for her. Percy lay in the middle of the queen-sized bed, propped up on a small mountain of pillows with a universal remote in his hands.

"You waited for me?" She asked with only a hint of surprise. Percy shrugged one shoulder, tossing the remote to the side.

"Yes. I figured you might want some non-hostile company before we head downstairs." Leo nodded a little grabbing her backpack and pulling out the spare set of clothes Silena had smuggled in before she left. "Annabeth went through your stuff; she still thinks you're hiding the bolt somewhere."

"There is no emblem of privacy on quests, is there?" She joked lightly heading back to the bathroom to dress. "Besides where would I hide a celestial weapon forged by cyclopes? In my pocket?"

She quickly threw on the band shirt and jeans, stuffing her feet back into her boots before entering the bedroom once more. Percy had stood up, shrugging on the backpack from Ares and holding out hers.

"I figured it's best to be prepared. I grabbed some stuff from the mini fridge. Now can we talk about what happened in St. Louis?"

Leo sighed already knowing she wasn't getting out of telling him, before she could say anything Percy continued sounding worried and scared. "Before everything, back at the museum with Mrs Dodds. She told me about a demigod that was dangerous enough to level entire cities… I just want to be able to help you, Leo. You're my family and you've trusted me with a lot since we met."

"Okay, just please stop with the heartfelt mushiness." She laughed a little as Percy's face lit up. "So, I have a rare gift, ever since I was a child I was fascinated by fire and heat…it never seemed to bother or hurt me. My earliest memory of using my power was when I was five and I literally burned through a wooden picnic table outside our complex." She explained as they slipped into the elevator with two dark haired and olive-skinned kids. Leo briefly teased the idea that one of them looked familiar.

"I bet that was useful, right? I mean it can't hurt you, is it like my waterpower's? You know, healing and stuff? I think I read somewhere that fire can be used for the same purposes as water."

"Would you believe me if I said I have no idea?" She mumbled ducking her head in embarrassment. "I refused to use them for a long time and when I did it wasn't much help. It's like Mrs. Dodds said, I can destroy everything if I'm not careful. The last fire user started the great fire of London."

Percy whistled lowly, stuffing his hands into his pockets. The little boy pulled out a stack of cards and began shuffling them, mumbling attack and stealth numbers, Leo smiled a little as he reminded her of a younger, more carefree Nico.

"So, moving on. I think we should get out of here and head to L.A before it gets later. I can help you find the opening to the underworld but gotta split after."

"Are you sure you're not the thief?" Percy sent her a playful narrowed look. "I mean with all this sneaking around and your overall shiftiness. And the prophecy did say _you will be betrayed by one you call a friend._"

"Hilarious, Perce. It also said something about hope following you which I did." Leo bumped his arm slightly. "Why would I start a war I inevitably have to fight in later? but I will tell you to watch out for scorpions. And don't worry when you can't save her."

"Why can't you face Hades with me? I know it's not your quest, but I'd feel tons better if I had you there."

"I'd love to but the only time I plan on visiting the Underworld is when I die, gloriously in battle, the conquering hero." She deflected still eyeing the other occupants of the elevator.

The older sibling, a young girl around the age of fifteen wore a lime green beret which stood out against the otherwise muted tones of her skater dress and leggings. When Leo caught her obsidian gaze, her tanned cheeks flared with a small blush before she tucked her chin into her chest. Her embarrassment caused Leo to smirk a little.

"Come on Leo, we need to find the other two before we leave." Percy bumped her shoulder, regaining her attention once more. "Where do you think they will be?"

"Annabeth will be somewhere she can build, preferably where there are no Leo Valdez's to destroy her creation—"

"Or humiliate her on live television." Percy cut in with a grin.

"Is she seriously annoyed that we were the ones to get her out of that mess?" She asked aghast, Percy shrugged showing he had no idea how her mind worked. "G-man, probably playing some wildlife game or something."

"Okay, I'll take Annabeth if you find Grover. Figure she's less likely to kill me, meet at the front exit?"

Leo nodded shortly as they waited for the elevator to reach ground level and the doors to slid open smoothly. Percy took off to the gaming area where you could clearly see a 3D virtual model of a beautiful city, Leo slowly scanned the bustling crowd for an aggressive satyr but before she could make her way over a small hand wrapped around her wrist.

"Excuse me?" A small voice asked, Leo half turned back to the elevator and met swirling pools of onyx, he leaned in to whisper. "I'm Nico and I think my sister likes you a lot. She was looking at you all the way down—"

His sister cut him off with an embarrassed hiss of _"Nico!"_ and Leo found herself giggling at the display.

"It's nice to meet you and I would love to stay and talk more but I have to meet my friends." Nico pouted but nodded as his sister scolded him in another language, her face a dark shade of red. Leo wiggled her fingers in a quick farewell before taking off to where Grover was shouting.

"Grover!" She called, he turned his gun on her and started firing. Leo watched him for a minute, bemused. "Grover snap out of it, I'm not part of your weird reverse game."

The satyr continued to fire his plastic gun, Leo huffed in annoyance it would take too long to find Percy and let him try so she smacked Grover in the nose with the heel of her hand to stun him. He dropped the fake gun with a surprised yelp and Leo took the opportunity to grab his bicep and drag him off kicking and screaming like a child.

Percy was disagreeing with the doorman that was offering them platinum cards if they stayed longer. Grover stopped fighting her to reach for the new card with gleaming eyes, Percy scowled and knocked his hand away.

"No thanks, we're leaving." Percy pulled Annabeth to the exit as Leo sidestepped the doorman with the satyr in tow, the sounds and smells of the hotel faded to an almost non-existent hum at that back of their minds as the quartet stepped out into an afternoon storm.

Percy ran to the first newspaper stand he saw, a flood of relief washed over his features that dropped to panic. He met the groups eyes murmuring a soft curse.

"We only have one day left to complete the quest."

"What? All I did was shower and ride the freaking elevator! No way were we in there for five days." Leo denied instantly, Percy silently showed her the paper. "_Mierda_, _joder_. We need a cab."

Annabeth waltzed off and hailed a taxi before ordering them to pile in as if they were able to pay for it, "We are heading to Los Angeles." She confidently informed the driver who drew on his cigar levelling them with a look.

"That's at least three hundred miles, kids. For that your gonna have to pay up front." For once Leo was at a loss, she vaguely remembered someone at the hotel mentioning the cash cards working outside the hotel.

"Do you accept casino cards?" Annabeth asked with a sweet smile, holding out her card. The driver shrugged accepting the card and swiping it, the machine rattled and flashed before settling with an infinity symbol.

"Where to in Los Angeles? Uh… Your highness?" He added, Annabeth straightened a little at the title with a smug grin.

"The Santa Monica pier." Leo smiled toothily adding. "You can keep the change if you get us there fast."

Percy and Grover groaned in unison as the driver sped off, the speed meter never dipping below ninety-five as Leo hummed to herself, tapping in Morse code against her knee. The other three spoke about the dream Percy had before the casino, trying to figure what it could mean.

"No, the throne room wasn't the main part of the dream and the voice that came from the pit… I don't know, it didn't sound like a god's voice. It sounded older, sinister."

Annabeth's eyes widened but she shook her head disagreeing with whatever thought came to her. "It has to be Hades, maybe he sent the thief, and something went wrong. I mean if he stole Zeus' symbol of power straight from Olympus them all the gods would've been searching for him. Anything could have happened; this thief could've lost the bolt or hide it."

"I had nothing to do with it." Leo mumbled, blinking her eyes open to face Annabeth's steel cold stare. "If that is your next question. Someone else stole the bolt. Someone who was on Mount Olympus during the winter solstice."

"The furies where looking for Hades' helm of Darkness." Grover cut in. "On the bus they were asking us where it was, what if it wasn't the bolt but the helm they were looking for and they thought you had one or both."

"But if I've already retrieved them both them why am I going to the Underworld?" Percy asked shaking his head, none of it was making much sense.

"Easy, to bribe Hades." He stated simply. "To blackmail or threaten him to give your mom back."

"Seriously?" Leo muttered sending the satyr a strange look.

"You have a dark mind for a goat." Percy agreed. "The thing in the pit is waiting for two objects. Are we really thinking that Hades has lost his symbol of power as well?"

"Seems like it. But who could possibly gain anything from starting a war between the gods? Because it's definitely not us."

Annabeth remained silent, Leo wondered if she had put the pieces together about what was in the pit or if she realised Ares was far to invested in their quest for a god. It wasn't until they were hurtling towards the pier that Annabeth spoke up, putting everyone's doubts to a halt.

"You saw spirits of the Underworld Percy." She said in a quiet, hollow voice. "The answer has to be there. It's the right decision."

Percy gave her a weak smile as the sun began to set and they pulled into the pier. Annabeth and Percy walked up to the water's edge while Leo and Grover remained a few feet behind.

"How you holding up, Valdez?" Grover asked quietly as they patiently waited for Percy to re-emerge. Leo shrugged, drawing small circles in the sand with her toe.

"You know how I'm doing. Satyr's can sense emotions, right?"

"Yeah." He nodded stuffing his hands into his pockets. "Which is how I know you've been honest with us since you showed up but you're not telling us the whole truth."

Grover's tone wasn't accusatory but soft and filled with concern. It was something Leo had truly missed since waking up, the honest concern of someone close. After she attacked camp Jupiter, it was like a wall of mistrust had erected between her and Jason despite how close they were beforehand. Leo stared at her feet her eyes itching with unwanted tears as her lip quivered. She squeezed her eyes shut tightly and drew in a shaky breath pulling her bottom lip between her teeth to stop it trembling.

"If I told you everything, you'd never want to leave camp again." She sighed softly. "Trust me Grover there is a lot more tragedy to face before we reach the end."

'_And it won't stop with a trip to Hades or facing Kronos either.' _She added bitterly in her mind.

"Can you tell me one thing." He almost pleased with wide eyes. "Do you and Percy survive? I can't… I don't know what I'd do if either of you were to… you know?"

"He lives, but not without being hurt and I'll be there every chance I have to help him." She gave the young goat a tense smile which he returned with his own relieve one. Both knew it was faked but refused to call each other out. "Right now, we just live in the moment, figure it out as we go along."

* * *

**Yay, finally updated! Sorry for the wait.**


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Percy had popped back up from his swim in the sea and showed his companions the three pearls that had been gifted to him. Annabeth warned him that it would come with a price soon, sending Leo a look to back her up. The Latina merely shrugged indifferently, she was growing tired with everything that had happened since Denver and she just wanted to sleep. Instead Leo settled on taking a short nap on the bus before Percy pinched her awake in west Hollywood.

"This sucks." She groaned blinking blearily at the shop fronts. Someone hummed in agreement as they paused in front of an electronics store with a bunch of T.V.s in the front window playing the news. Gabe Ugliano sat at the kitchen table surrounded by his poker buddies and a young, pretty woman on his lap as he spun some sob story about his missing wife and stepson.

"…And you know, it's not Percy's fault he act's out. It all started when the damn foster kid moved in upstairs, she was trouble from the start and always pulled my stepson into her shenanigans."

"Mr. Ugliano can you confirm that the foster child you speak of is Leo Valdez, whom was spotted a week ago at the St. Louis Arch with your son?"

"Yeah," Gabe choked wiping false tears from his eyes. "Kids nothing but trouble, we were warned by the social workers that it was assumed she killed her own mother at aged eight…"

Leo stormed away from the store not wishing to hear what the slob had to say about her or her mother. She knew it wasn't her fault the fire started, she had been young and didn't know how to control her powers or that they tied strongly to her emotions. She blinked rapidly as her eyes swam with tears this time falling down her flushed cheeks. Leo quickly wiped them away when she heard pounding footsteps rush up behind her.

A tanned hand grabbed her wrist and dragged her further down the street and into a safe looking shop filled with beds.

"What just happened?" She asked momentarily stunned. Annabeth rolled her eyes as a group of teenagers ran past the store, they were hiding in.

"Percy screwed up."

"Hey! How was I supposed to know they were human?" Percy grumbled.

"Maybe if you focused on the quest a little more than about what your stepdad is saying about you—"

"Shut up!" Leo shouted over the bickering, she was growing tired of the daughter of Athena always throwing barbs and shade at her or Percy. "Gods, can't you two just act like a couple of demigods that don't hold their parents' grudges?"

Percy dropped visibly and Annabeth steeled herself for another verbal fight, but Grover placed a hand on her shoulder shaking his head, he could clearly sense the emotional turmoil coming off Leo in tsunami waves and didn't want to agitate her further. The blonde scoffed under her breath but backed down, nonetheless.

"We can talk about Perce's screw up's another time, first let's get you guys to your…" Leo faltered when she turned around and came face to face with a salesman in an awful looking suit and a far too wide grin.

"Hey there, kids. Welcome to Crusty's. Where every waterbed is exactly six feet." He gave reptilian smile showing of rows of yellowed teeth. "I'm Crusty by the way."

'_Aren't you just.' _Leo thought humorlessly meeting Percy's eyes quickly.

"Nice to meet you but—" Percy started to say but Crusty led him further into the store with a large paw-like hand.

"This right here is our most popular model." He exclaimed proudly, waving his free hand over a large volcano-esque bed the vibrated. "It has a built in one-million hand massager."

"Sweet!" Grover grinned toothily as Crusty waved invitingly towards the bed allowing him to try it out.

"Um… dude, I don't think—" Grover cut Leo off with a single look that clearly stated, '_Taking care of you demigods is stressful, I deserve this.'_

"Hey G-man, maybe we shouldn't." Percy said softly as Grover lay down with a sigh.

"Hmm..." Crusty hummed looking dissatisfied. "Almost but not quite. Do me a favour, honey and try this bed over here. It might fit."

He led Annabeth over to another bed with leopard print sheets and little lions carved into the headboard. Annabeth lay down reluctantly, her face twisted in annoyance.

"She does know that when a creepy old man tells you to lie down you kick him in the knee, right?" Leo muttered to herself, Percy hummed in agreement his brows furrowed.

"Not the right fit either." Crusty sighed, Annabeth tried to get up and the salesman snapped his fingers. "Ergo!"

Several ropes shot out of the bed and wrapped around the blonde holding her limbs down tightly, the same thing happened to Grover when he tried to jump up. Percy took a step away from the creepy guy as a large, leathery hand clamped around Leo's shoulder.

"Let my friends go." Percy demanded. Crusty rolled his eyes.

"I will, don't worry. I just got to make them fit first."

"What do you mean fit?" Leo dared to ask, Crusty released his clammy grip and grinned.

"Well all my beds are six feet, right? Your friends are just too short for them, so I need to make them fit perfectly. Ergo!" He turned back to the other two. "Now, how about we find something you guys like?"

"What about them?"

"Oh not to worry, sweetie. The ropes are good at what they do, the stretching jobs are excellent. Can add up to eight inches on your spine, they might even live!"

That was not reassuring in the slightest, but the guy had returned his grip on Leo. Percy wasn't about to risk taking out riptide, Crusty could snap Leo's neck quicker than a blink. So, he went with their favourite method – a distraction.

"Your name isn't really Crusty, is it?"

"Legally it's Procrustes." He admitted looking down bashfully.

"The Stretcher, how fitting." Leo grumbled causing Crusty to smirk.

"I know! But no one can say it right and that's bad for business. So, I go by Crusty instead."

"It has a good ring to it." Percy commented lightly, praying Leo caught on to the distraction.

"You really think so?"

"Oh, yeah." Leo chipped in. "And just look at the craftsmanship on these frames!"

"Absolutely fabulous."

Crusty grinned at the two but still didn't loosen his grip on Leo, "You know I tell all of my customers that, but they never listen. I mean how many lava lamp headboards have you ever seen?"

"Not all that many." Percy admitted sheepishly but before Crusty could say anything Annabeth shouted over in a painfully strained voice.

"What are you two imbeciles doing!"

"Don't mind her," Leo assured calmly. "She impossible on the best of days."

"Aren't all customers?" Crusty replied rhetorically. "Never six feet, so inconsiderate and then they have the nerve to complain about the fitting."

"So rude." Leo sighed sympathetically. "Hey what do you do if their over six feet?"

"Oh, a simple fix really." Crusty released Leo and reached behind a sales desk to retrieve a double-bladed brass axe. "I just centre them best I can and chop off whatever hangs over the edges."

"…Oh, that's um… efficient." Leo swallowed thickly as Grover made a strangled noise from across the room.

"Ah Crusty, tell me. Does this really have dynamic stabilisers to stop wave motion?" Percy cut in quickly, regaining his composure faster than Leo and indicating to a tacky honeymoon deluxe waterbed in the shape of a heart.

"It sure does, why don't you try it out?" He offered; Percy waved his hand dismissively.

"Sure, sure. Maybe I will, I just can't help wondering if it'll work for a big guy like you? I mean, no waves at all?"

"Yeah, it's kinda hard to believe." Leo cut in with a shrug.

"I guarantee it." Crusty ensured.

"No way." Percy scoffed.

"Way."

"Show us." Leo challenged, Crusty eagerly sat down and patted the bed,

"See? Not a single ripple."

Percy snapped his fingers, commanding, "Ergo." Dozens of ropes grappled Crusty onto the mattress and pinned him there.

"Let's centre him just right…" The ropes readjusted themselves accordingly and Crusty's eyes blew wide with fear.

"Wait, no! This is just a demo!"

Leo met Percy's eyes as they both shrugged, and Leo hefted the axe up and swung down and Crusty's babbling was silenced. Percy rushed over to cut the ropes of the other beds and free Annabeth and Grover.

"You look taller." He informed the blonde innocently.

"Shut up." She growled.

"Seriously though," Grover spoke up as they left the store. "What are the chances of this being a monster trap?"

"Well considering it's us, I wouldn't sat it was that much of a stretch." Leo answered looking up and down the street. Percy sniggered into his hand as the other two scowled.

"Is this you then?" Percy asked. "Until next summer?"

"Yeah," Leo nodded slowly, hiking her bag onto her shoulder a little more. "Until next summer."

Percy held his forearm across his chest, Leo mimicked the gesture with the opposite arm before the two turned away and headed in different directions. Percy, going to the underworld hoping to rescue his mom and Leo was more than likely going to be arrested and questioned under suspicion of terrorism.

* * *

**And this is where the lightning thief journey ends for Leo.**


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

It hadn't taken long for Leo to realise that not all monster hid under the bed or in closets and only came out at night. After her mothers' death it was plain as day to the girl that most monster were the people you saw every day, from the accountant that came home at five o'clock each night to the older kids that didn't want to be associated with a freak.

The year that followed the trip west was a rollercoaster from start to finish. She had left the trio to make their way to Hades and fight Ares before returning to New York, Leo had run and hid from every uniformed officer and detective she came close to. Taking shelter in an abandoned warehouse for a few hours of rest before she was back on the road to get out of Los Angeles.

She had a few close calls with low grade monsters that were easily taken care of with a swipe or jab of her knife. It had taken Leo at least three days to reach the edge of the city before she was snagged by a couple of cops and hoisted into the back of a patrol car, they had driven her to the precinct and dropped her carelessly onto a chair.

"Wait here and don't make me regret not cuffing you." They had warned her before disappearing into the thick of detectives, cops and civilians being booked. Leo groaned and smacked her head on the wall with a harsh _thwack. _

It took twenty-five minutes for the ones who grabbed her to return, each looking like a storm was brewing under their faces and Leo couldn't resist the opportunity to be a pain in the ass.

"What happened? You run out of donuts?"

They hadn't said anything, not that she expected them to, in her limited experience of being arrested the officers were hardly sympathetic or bothered about the crass attitude of a child. Instead they had led her to an interrogation room, offered her a soda and a snack before informing her that a social worker was on their way to handle her case.

The case worker, Miss. Randall wasn't all that talkative. She read Leo's file out to her including her past and the places she had run away from before sighing loudly and massaging the bridge of her nose. Miss. Randall was a tall dark-skinned woman with a thick mane of curly hair that was pulled into a tight knot on top of her head.

"Has anyone ever told you, you're a troublemaker?" She had asked eyes scanning the papers again. Leo shrugged.

"Has anyone ever told you that you kinda look like Whoopi Goldberg?" Leo replied only half serious, Miss. Randell raised an unamused brow.

"No." She deadpanned. "I made a few calls to some potential foster families, but none have the space for you—"

"Oh, no whatever shall I do." Leo murmured sarcastically under her breath.

"But I have been able to secure you a place in a group home."

"What's the catch?"

"It's in Nebraska."

Leo didn't know whether she wanted to laugh or cry at the idea of Nebraska, it was a fly over state with nothing to keep her occupied. But she steeled her spine and agreed to go quietly with little to no fuss.

Which was how Leo ended up spending an agonisingly long six months in a mind-numbing blur of school, chores and hunting or fishing. She felt like it she was trapped in a time loop were she and the other kids got up, took turns showering and eating before loading onto the bright yellow school bus for six hours of mathematics and history before returning to the big, old fashioned farm house to complete homework and chores before dinner. And on the weekends, they were dragged out of the house before dawn by Mr Jenkins and hiked ten miles through the woods learning to track small animals.

There were four kids staying with the Jenkins including Leo, there was another girl who had grown up a state over by the name of Carol who had short greyish blonde hair and sky-blue eyes. She was sixteen and soft spoken with a heart of gold, she shared a room with Leo and made sure she felt safe when Leo had initially arrived. There were two young boys' named Paul Monroe and Adam Smith both had short brown hair and blue eyes, if Leo didn't know them, she would have assumed they were brothers.

Paul was the youngest and had a strange fascination with jumping and bouncing off things from walls to stair banisters whereas Adam was quieter and more laid back, he hated confrontation or getting into trouble. That was probably the reason he had Leo never saw eye to eye on most things.

She had never thought she'd make it through the entire school year without a single monster attack or sighting. Which was why it was no surprise to her when one Saturday morning, Leo and Carol were helping with the laundry talking about what they wanted to do when they aged out of the system, a tall scaly creature slithered out of the surrounding forest. Its algae green scales glinted against the sun as it reared back on its feet and met Leo's eyes.

"Oh, shit…" Leo whimpered, her mouth and throat ran dry at the sight of the Lydian Drakon, one that was destined to be killed by a child of Ares. It took all the Latina's strength to not bolt on the spot when the ground shook with the arrival of at least three cyclopes behind the Drakon.

The cyclopes' grinned and petted the serpent monsters' scales like it was a giant dog. Carol watched Leo freeze up and stare into the treeline in fear, she followed the girl's line of sight but saw nothing.

"Leo, what is it? What's wrong?" She asked gently.

"We need to get inside now." Was the only thing she could force out.

Before Carol could question her Leo grabbed her wrist and pulled her out of the yard and into the house, slamming the door as quietly as possible.

"Leo?"

Said girl had already took off up the stairs and into their shared bedroom, flipping over her mattress and retrieving her celestial bronze knife. She tucked it into her belt, making a mental note to fashion a holster later, and ransacked the closet stuffing her clothes into a backpack and shrugging on her army jacket.

"Leo what is it going on?" Carol demanded appearing in the doorway. "You can't leave, there's still months of school."

Leo almost laughed at her idiocy, she had let her guard down and gotten comfortable. There had been no memories of her past life plaguing her dreams or snippets of the future or even a sign of the fates interfering. And this had allowed her to get sloppy, usually she always had a bag ready to grab so she could take off but she had become too complacent in the last year and now there was three flesh eating cyclopes standing outside with a monster she wasn't able to kill.

"I gotta go." She muttered shouldering passed Carol as softly as possible in her rush. "I'm sorry, really I am but people could get hurt if I stay any longer."

"Leo! You can't just…" Carol followed her back downstairs. "Where would you even go?"

Leo rubbed her lips together in agitation, she was running out of time. She was just glad the cyclopes hadn't been able to pick up her scent just yet.

"New York," She relented. "I'll be in heading for Long Island, New York."

"Then you're going to need some cash to get at least some of the way there." Carol frowned clearly disapproving but she grabbed an old jam jar from the linen cupboard and fished out a fistful of notes.

Leo murmured a quiet _thanks _before Carol shoved her out the door with a forced smile that she tried to make look genuine despite the tears in her eyes.

"Don't shed any tears Carol, I have a feeling this isn't goodbye forever."

And the Leo took off running down the driveway, praying to whoever would listen that the rest of her trip would go smoothly.

It didn't. Leo had arrived at the bus station and bought a ticket for the next coach heading for New York, it was a straight shot through Illinois and Indiana before a connecting bus would take over in Ohio and take the passengers the rest of the way to New York. Leo unfortunately never made it to the next bus terminal as one of the three cyclopes had been a little too lucky in hunting her down and had cornered her in the bus station's tiny bathroom.

She attacked instantly, not allowing the monster to savour the moment of catching its prey. With one quick swipe to the monsters' right leg, Leo ducked out of the bathroom, heading for the bus only to find it surrounded by others. Leo grumbled under her breath about inconveniences and typical demigod luck before she took off running.

It was at least another hour before she stopped to breathe. She knew she wouldn't get very far on foot, especially with monsters hounding her every move, so Leo started her search for suitable that would probably not be missed too much. It was easy, to casually stroll through the streets like a random passer-by before setting sights on a lonely truck with its doors unlocked.

_It was too easy _Leo thought on more than one occasion as she hightailed it towards Camp Half-Blood after a quick seat adjustment so she could reach the pedals. Leo tried not to think about it too much as she swung around the backroads and didn't once encounter another driver or patrol cars.

She drawing near her destination when it happened, the truck jerked violently to the side swerving into the oncoming traffic. Leo was lucky it was early in the morning and there weren't many cars zipping down the roads, when the truck changed direction, she fought with the steering wheel to keep in one lane. Whoever was controlling the movements has relentless and powerful.

Leo jerked the wheel harshly and squeaked in surprise when it relented and the entire truck flew off to the right, slamming straight into a tree. Leo moved with the force, her forehead colliding with the steering wheel as the airbag deployed, she vaguely heard shouting from a distance and a smooth, Texas voice murmuring something as darkness encompassed around her.

When she came too with a low, pitiful groan Leo recognised the white walls of Camp Half-Bloods infirmary in a heartbeat.

"I hope this isn't going to become a habit, Leo." Will mumbled to himself as he walked through the door, his head bent forward as he read off a chart.

"If it means I'm greeted with doctor sunshine every summer it might."

Will's head snapped up; his brows furrowed as he looked over her. Carefully analysing and cataloguing every injury she had. He clicked his pen nervously as he approached her bedside, Will was easy enough to read he very rarely hid his emotions and it was clear as day he was worried and almost afraid of whatever he had found out.

"Want to tell me why you were driving a truck all the way to camp?"

"I got lucky?" She said with a shrug looking anywhere but Will. "There were some monsters and I took off, they followed me to the bus station, and I found an ulterior mode of transport."

"How did you manage to crash?" It was obvious it wasn't because she couldn't drive if the Ohio plates were anything to go by. Leo shrugged cluelessly she really had no idea.

"What else is worrying you, doc?"

Will sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "I've given you two doses of nectar since we got you in here… everyone knows the food of the gods can heal us in tiny amounts… so why haven't you."

"Umm…" Leo was at a loss; she had never been seriously injured enough to require nectar or ambrosia before and when she did, they were in the middle of a war zone where stopping was a luxury they couldn't afford.

"I guess, it doesn't matter for now. You're awake and seem fine enough. Do you think you'll be okay?" Leo nodded quickly causing Will to smile a little. "Okay. If you get dizzy or nauseous come back and I'll see what I can do."

"Will do." She quipped jumping up from the sick bed and running off.

Leo did not in fact go back to the infirmary after her initial arrival. Instead she spent weeks jumping between busy days with the few year rounders that stayed at camp and long nights in bunker nine. Leo started off with completing the design for Selena's dagger and putting it aside to make closer to summer when the daughter of Aphrodite would return to camp. She focused on adding to the Argo II design and making a realistic looking model before turning her attention to the small, half complete version of Festus.

By mid-February Leo had completed Festus and proudly wore the independent minded dragon around her wrist during activities. Clarisse La Rue had shown up sometime around then and had taken immense pleasure in annoying the Hades out of Leo, her embarrassment from the previous summer seemingly forgotten.

"How ya doin' punk?" The muscular girl asked having seen the Latina from the wrestling arena where she and her brothers joyfully pummelled each other.

"Hi… Clarisse…" Leo panted as she sliced, jabbed and demolished her straw opponents. "What's up?"

"Nothin'." She shrugged. "Wanted you to meet the newest member of cabin five."

Leo paused in her vicious attacks on the dummies and turned to face the other girl in confusion, she hadn't seen nor heard of any new camper since she had arrived. Just as she opened her mouth to ask what Clarisse was talking about said girl jabbed the tip of her spear into Leo's naval, not hard enough to impale but just enough for a violent current of electricity to wrack her body.

She gasped suddenly and stumbled back several paces. Clarisse snickered along with one of her half-brothers and a tall, red headed guy a little older than she was.

"What in Hades' name…" Leo grunted trying to regain her bearings. "That was a cheap trick, Clarisse."

"You should always be on guard, Valdez." She snarked in return. Leo rolled her eyes, rubbing the spot she had been struck more than grateful she didn't burn.

"Thought you wanted to introduce me to someone?"

"Yeah, he isn't exactly new, but you seem to disappear more often than not." Clarisse shrugged, waving a hand to the ginger beside her. "This is Abraham, son of Ares."

"And you're telling me this… why?" She dared ask. Abraham said nothing as the two girls conversed in a somewhat friendly manner.

"I don't know… last summer when you and Prissy—"

"Percy." Leo corrected.

"Showed up, you didn't take any threats to heart." She continued, unperturbed about being interrupted. "And I thought you'd at least want to spar with someone who can defend themselves."

Leo raised a sceptical eyebrow, Clarisse wanted her the unclaimed hazard to spar with her latest brother. It was an unusual request and certainly not something Leo ever considered doing before, but the girl shrugged one shoulder regarding the guy curiously.

Abraham stood up straighter upon noticing her evaluating him, his chin tilted up in defiance ready for a fight – verbal or physical.

"Sure," Leo hummed eventually, Clarisse gave her a crooked smile which the Latina returned. Leo spun her knife between her fingers by the hilt, toying with it carelessly as if it wasn't a weapon, Festus shivered to life and crawled up her arm.

The two demigods watched the tiny metal dragon in shock, Abraham opened his mouth to ask what it was when a loud, frightened scream echoed across the fields. Clarisse and Leo instantly took off in the direction the scream came from, Abraham lagged after a moment of hesitation.

Leo skidded to an abrupt halt when she saw a group of demigods huddled together in full battle armour facing off a hydra. The only thing going through her head as she shook out of her stupor and jumped into the fray was; _How did a monster get into camp?_

Taking down the hydra was simple, given the considerable number of demigods that had been trained to attack. The real issue reared its monstrous head hours later once groups had been dispatched to check the perimeter of the camp for any breaches or lingering monsters biding their time. Charles Beckendorf, son of Hephaestus, councillor of cabin nine was the one to point it out. Thalia's tree, an enormous pine that stood proudly on the crest of Half-Blood Hill, looked strangely discoloured the once forest green needles were slowly yellowing and falling to the ground as the died.

"What the…"

Mr D stomped angrily to the top of the hill intending to see what the commotion was, and no doubt threaten some of his charges. The annoyance permanently plastered on his face slipped as he took in the dying tree, Mr D turned rigid at the sight his mouth pressed into a firm line. He and Chiron had a silent conversation before they both took off back to the big house, leaving the confused and worried campers behind.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

* * *

As time passed and Thalia's tree continued to wither and die, groups of three or four campers were picked each day to patrol the perimeter of camp and take care of any monsters that found a way in. Leo had been forced to put her future plans on hold until the tension and paranoia among campers lessened, she was acutely aware of the speculation that there was a traitor in camp, and she was also aware that almost everyone thought it was her. Minus a few who had her back, Silena and Clarisse being the primary and most vocal of the almost none existent group.

"I don't care what Drew thinks." Silena declared one day as the three girls sat on the boardwalk. "She is an incompetent moron who can't even blend her eyeshadow."

Leo refrained from bursting out in laughter instead focusing solely on polishing the stiletto blade in her hands. It was the one she had painstakingly designed and created for Silena so she could start learning to fight, Leo had been sure to make the weapon deadly as well as beautiful. It was made from silver and celestial bronze so it would serve its wielder perfectly, the hilt was wrapped in white leather and encrusted with small blue jewels that matched Silena's eyes – not that Leo would ever admit it.

She had even thought to stitch strips of sturdy black leather together to make a sheath with a long belt for efficiency. Although she had promised the Aphrodite girl the weapon the summer before and it had been ready since January and it was now June, Leo was hesitant in handing it over.

"You know, no one would be saying Valdez is the traitor if we found a way to fix it." Clarisse grumbled; Leo snorted in amusement.

"Yeah, I'm sure they wouldn't blame me at all. Now if only someone could convince Chiron and Mr D to send three demigods to find the golden fleece."

After a few minutes of no response Leo looked up from her polishing only to meet two very stunned demigods.

"That is perfect!"

"Yeah, but you'd have to sail through the sea of monsters in order to find it and nothing ever comes back from there." Clarisse cautioned, strangely fearful.

"Nothing _alive_ ever returns." Leo found herself murmuring causing Silena to grumble under her breath.

"Are you just going to sit there and give randomly cryptic advice that makes no sense or are you going to help us find a way to save the only safe place for people like us." She demanded.

Leo tilted her head in mock thought for a moment before opening her mouth to say something completely ridiculous and cryptic but froze, swallowing thickly at the two gigantic bronze bulls suddenly stampeding over the hill.

"_Oh, mis dioses,_" She all but whined jumping to her feet and shoving the dagger and sheath into Silena's perfectly manicured hands. "Take this and get to the forges, alert cabin nine. Clarisse round up as many demigods as you can—"

"And bring them down?" She smirked, her first already clenched around _maimer_. Leo sent her a small nod, as Clarisse and Silena took off Leo turned to one of the bulls and charged, easily running through the column of fire that exploded from its mouth.

It didn't take long for Leo to realise that the only campers willing to fight alongside her was the Ares cabin and a handful from the Hermes cabin. Even as she threw herself in the way of the bulls terrifying horns to knock another camper out of the way, no one gave it a second glance as Leo was rammed into by one after narrowly escaping being trampled by the second one.

She landed with a sickening thud in the smoking grass, dazed with long gash at her hairline, slowly dripping blood. Leo pushed herself to her feet with a low whine as she reached into the toolbelt and removed a long, thick chain.

"This better work." She ground out, narrowing her bleary eyes at the bull that had knocked her several feet Leo called out. "Clarisse! I need you to distract one of them!"

When the burly girl nodded in confirmation and grabbed her newest brother by the shoulder, apparently giving him orders to clear the surrounding area. Leo turned back to her bull and wrapped one end of the chain around her knuckles, the bull dragged its front paw across the blackened ground, tilting its head forward before it charged. Leo grit her teeth and ran to meet the metal beast halfway, she kicked off the dirt, swinging the loose part of the chain up to wrap around one of the horns. With the chin secured Leo swung backwards as the bull thrashed violently and landed squarely between its shoulder joins.

"Well," She huffed tying off the other end of the chain to make a rein. "That wasn't as easy as I thought."

Leo vaguely heard some kind of commotion behind her and was tempted to turn around and make sure everyone was alright but the bucking and thrashing of the magnificent automation kept her eyes firmly in place. She tightened her grip on the chain and steered the bull into the only path that had been cleared of any living thing, not having the time to even try and disable the bull Leo forced it to run head first over the boardwalk and into the canoe lake.

It steamed and whirred the second it landed in the water with a loud _splash _and Leo quickly released the chain and stood on its back as the bull went under, taking her with it. Leo opened her eyes as a warm hand wrapped around her bicep and yanked her towards the shore. A _Naiad _with long brown hair and pale blue skin smiled at her before launching Leo onto the wet grass and mud, she heaved a thankful breath as she landed a little more gently than before.

"What the hell was that, Valdez?" A guff voice demanded. Leo winced and jumped to her feet meeting the glare of one Charles Beckendorf head on with a sheepish grin.

"A live action mechanical bull ride?" She offered brushing wet curls behind her ears. Beckendorf's glare hardened as he jabbed a calloused finger into her chest.

"That was nuts; you could've wrecked the whole thing by driving it into the lake. What are we supposed to do if the wiring is all messed up?"

Leo grunted, Beck was usually a nice and easy-going guy and when Leo had originally first heard of him and how he died, she was upset and proud that he had done everything he could to protect those he cared about. But now, he had pegged her as the enemy, much like the rest of the camp and he was more than willing to treat her with open hostility whenever he was out and about; and Leo hated him for it.

"If you are so worried about a giant dumb bull your daddy made and it's precious wiring. Why don't you drive in and pull it out yourself?" She scoffed brushing passed him without waiting for a scathing reply, she had to change before Mr D and the new activities director, Tantalus caused a fit.

After making her way to bunker nine and changing into dry clothes, Leo ran back to camp and filed into the dining pavilion behind the rest of the Hermes cabin. Festus 2.0 nervously climbed up her arm and nestled on her shoulder, hidden by her long hair that that fell over her shoulders. She ignored the questioning looks sent her way from the Stoll brothers, Will, Clarisse and Silena as she settled her gaze on the wooden grains of the picnic table. Her head still had a nasty gash but most of the blood had been washed away in the lake, her ribs had been bruised and her left shoulder flared in pain whenever it was moved too quickly but it was all pushed to the bottom of her list of problems as she thought back to the golden fleece.

She knew it was possible to find it, Clarisse would rise to the challenge and Leo would volunteer to go with her. It was just a matter of timing; Chiron had probably already left leaving Mr D to run camp the way he wanted to with the help of the prisoner turned temporary director. Leo glanced up and scanned the sombre crowd half-heartedly picking at their meals and giving offerings to the gods, she moved in sync with cabin eleven and tossed some of her food into the brazier of Greek fire.

'_Hera… Juno, I could really use some guidance. You were once set on helping with making me your warrior, please, you can't just leave me alone like this.' _She prayed silently, hoping the goddess both Greek and Roman sides, heard her plea.

Leo kept her focus firmly on the plate before her during dinner while her mind flitted through half a dozen possibilities and outcomes, who she could save and who she couldn't. Even if it was just to give them some more time, as far as Leo could remember no one died during the escapade through the sea of monsters.

It was the winter holidays that she was really worried about as it was when Percy brought Nico and his older sister, Bianca to camp. Leo had only heard about the girl after Will's death, Nico had been broken from the news and the Hispanic was afraid to leave him alone for too long. Nico had eventually come back to himself and started to talk and open up about his past.

As the days passed Leo fell into a sort of trance, only half aware of the things going on around her as she made plans and side notes of how getting the golden fleece could play out. It wasn't until the Stoll brothers approached her and asked if she would help them design a chariot for the races so they could win that she finally snapped out of it wondering why Tantalus would let them have a chariot race while camp was still under threat. After asking Travis about who would be on patrol, he shrugged it off, saying it was a good thing they were given a break.

"Yeah, I don't think so." Leo murmured to herself; sketching out a design for cabin eleven's chariot.

"Why is that?" One of them spoke up.

"Do you think we'll lose? We can't if your helping, just look at the dragon you have." The other exclaimed, waving in the general direction Festus was in, flying in circles under the sun.

"Just because I can make and built stuff doesn't mean you will win, Stoll. It just means you have a chance besides what if a monster attacks during the game, are you just going to keep playing?"

"Yeah, obviously." They replied in unison after a half second of deliberation. Leo snorted a little before focusing on her work.

"Are you okay?" Connor asked after around five minutes. "It's just it's been almost a week since Percy and Annabeth arrive and Percy's new brother was claimed. You haven't done or said anything."

'_Huh,' _Leo thought absently. _'I guess my thoughts are my greatest flaw, need to work on that.'_

"I'm just… distracted." She sighed. "I'll talk to him after the race."

And Leo had planned to do just that, if the demon birds hadn't swooped in and tried to claw everyone apart. The day was humid with an eerie layer of fog clouding the camp, Leo had joined the rest of the Hermes cabin on the rows of stone steps that circled the track, Percy had trudged in minutes after followed by the hulking form of Tyson. Leo waved at the sons of Poseidon cheerfully as they prepared their chariot, Percy grinned at her as Tyson looked between them a little confused.

"Alright!" Tantalus declared loudly. "You know the rules, a quarter mile track. Two laps around it to win the race. Each chariot can only have two horses, one driver and one fighter."

Tantalus paused to scowl at the éclair that evaded his grasp before huffing obnoxiously and turning back to the campers to continue with the rules.

"Weapons are allowed, of course. Dirty tricks are to be expected and encouraged; how do you expect to win without a good trick?" He added off-handed before continuing with a sadistic smile. "No killing! This will result in harsh punishment. No s'mores for a week. Now ready your chariots!"

Leo snorted in disgust as two campers from each cabin lined up their chariots at the starting line. There was a reason that they no longer did the races, they were far too dangerous and with the camp border weakening every day, the possibility of someone dying or getting severely injured just heightened.

Leo shuddered as several creepy looking pigeons flocked to the surrounding trees and a let out an ear-splitting screech. No one else seemed bothered by them but she kept a weary eye on the bird's movements as the chariot race begun. As Travis and Conner accidentally crashed into Apollo's chariot and tipped it over Leo slipped her knife into her hand from the holster on her back. Her fingers clenched around the handle, turning her knuckles white as she turned away from the race to watch the shrieking pigeons. The campers around her noticed the uneasiness and tension in her shoulders and automatically reached for a weapon to defend themselves.

The birds rose from the trees and started a formation, circling around in a large funnel as if the were preparing to attack. Leo slowly stood up without taking her eyes off the monsters she picked her way through the demigods who had now took note of the strange activity above the woods.

Then the birds dive bombed straight from the trees and towards the stands; pecking and clawing at everyone they saw. Leo dodged and slashed as best she could with sudden pandemonium surrounding her. A few of the Stymphalian birds tore at her and Leo was never more thankful for her army fatigue jacket as she was now. The birds tore at the spectators with razor sharp, bronze beaks, one caught Leo's forearm and tore a long, bloody gash from the crook of her elbow to the heel of her hand. Leo jerked in surprise at the sudden attack, having not noticed the sleeve of her jacket was already ripped, leaving her tanned flesh bare.

From the corner of her eye Leo saw Percy and Annabeth driving towards the big house, Leo found her skin itching to erupt into flames. She was growing tired and pale as her arm bled freely, she shook her fuzzy head to clear it as she swiped and slashed at more of the demon birds that swooped down.

Chariots were in flames and many of the younger campers an around in fear as they were being shredded and torn at. There were just too many birds to fight of, even having the biggest cabins fully armed and fighting wholeheartedly. Leo stumble, her limb becoming heavy and her eye a little droopy, she briefly thought back to the Colchis bulls and how it was probably a ridiculous choice to avoid the infirmary.

The screams and panic were suddenly drowned out by loud violins and Italian men echoing over the camp. Instinctively, half the campers dropped their defences and clamped their hands over their ears as the Stymphalian birds screeched and flew in a crazy circle before taking off.

"Archers, take aim!" Leo found herself shouting over the music, most of the Apollo cabin recovered from the attack instantly at the command. They notched their arrows and released them with perfect aim taking most of the birds down and leaving the scattered survivors to fly away.

Will dropped his bow the second he saw Leo swaying, the archer becoming a healer in a blink of an eye. He ordered several of his siblings to look over the injured and make sure no one was gravely hurt, all the while tutting at Leo's _'careless and reckless behaviour'._

* * *

Leo was admittedly a little put out by Will's protectiveness, he had ordered her to stay in the infirmary until the campfire while he tried to figure out the issue with the ambrosia and nectar. It wasn't until that night that she saw Percy and his new brother again as she was being _escorted _by the Stoll brothers, no matter how much she tried to protest.

"Seriously, guys. How many times do I have to tell you, I. am. Fine." She reassured for the tenth time as the brothers once again sent her a worried look.

"Just following the good doctor's orders Leo." Travis chirped, a cocky half grin stretching his lips as he caught sight of Katie Gardner.

"He did say that the food of the gods had no effect on you, which means something is wrong with you."

"Yeah, too much of that stuff could burn us up and it would kill any mortal, but a small amount will aid in healing even mortal wounds."

Leo tried to tune them out as she stared into the low burning fire but some of what they said continued to turn around in her mind and make her uneasy. Leo chewed the cuticle of her right thumb as her mind and thoughts spiralled.

The fates hadn't visited her in her dreams for months, she had just found out she was somehow immune to godly food and drink. Then there was Thalia's tree and the golden fleece and not to mention the weirdness of the truck she'd stolen from Ohio – How it seemed to turn one way of its own accord and get stuck. Leo remained in her own head as the campers around her became rowdy with the prospect of a quest.

She only snapped out of it when Tantalus began lamenting about his eternal punishment in the form of a ghost story.

"And do you know, dear campers, what was in the stew?" He asked, it was rhetorical, but Leo rolled her eyes and snorted rather loudly. Tantalus turned his dark eyes on her in a glare.

"Are you seriously trying to justify not only stealing from the gods but slaughtering your own children and trying to trick said gods into eating them? Because if you ask me, I think they let you off lightly with your punishment. At least they were merciful enough to wait until you died to punish you."

Tantalus sneered cruelly at her as she removed her hunting knife, toying with the tip of the blade to comfort herself. Campers swivelled between gawking at the unclaimed daughter of Hephaestus and nervously watching Tantalus's reaction.

"The Oracle awaits you, dear." He said smoothly, turning to meet Clarisse' hesitant look, "Go now!"

Clarisse jerked to a start and scurried off to the big house to see the dried-up mummy that held the Oracle of Delphi. Tantalus turned back to the remaining campers, a small tick in his jaw twitched as he tried to keep his expression neutral.

"I shall remind everyone now that no one is to leave this camp without my permission. Anyone who even tries – if they survive – will be expelled from Camp Half-Blood. The harpies will be enforcing curfew from now on and they are always hungry." With a final cold smile Tantalus extinguished the campfire that had diminished to nearly nothing, leaving the campers in the dark.

Leo took the opportunity to remove herself from the Stoll brothers and chased after Percy. She trailed behind the two brothers awkwardly as Tyson whimpered and Percy tried to comfort him.

"It's not like that. Annabeth likes you, really."

"No, she doesn't. He's a cyclops, Annie is pretty set in her ways of despising all things even remotely monstrous." Leo scoffed bluntly, she hated to make the big guy upset but is was plainly obvious and Percy was flailing trying to please the blonde and his half-brother.

"Leo!" The green-eyed boy scolded, she shrugged.

"Well, it's true and everyone knows it. You try to please everyone then you're the only one who gets hurt Perce."

"But Annabeth…"

"I don't care about her, if she gets hurt then she'll get over it eventually. But he is your brother—"

"Half-brother." Percy cut in defensively, his jaw clenching angrily.

Leo's jaw dropped in disbelief, when she had originally met Percy, he had adored his younger brother and loved everything Tyson had to show him. But this young and naive Percy seemed disgusted by having to call Tyson a brother at all and Leo wondered if it was Percy's own thoughts or just backlash from Annabeth's vicious onslaught of the baby cyclopes. Tension brewed between the two demigods, growing thick and palpable, Tyson cocked his head to the side smiled crookedly at Leo.

"Friend of Percy?" He asked and Leo nearly cooed at how sweet he sounded. Instead she nodded, turning her eyes onto the one large brown one in the middle of Tyson's head. "Pretty hair."

Leo jerked a little as Tyson stretched out one of his huge hands to stroke her long, curly brown hair. She wasn't one hundred percent keen on people touching her, but she was willing to make an exception for Tyson when his grin faltered slightly.

"Okay big guy. We need to go before the harpies come and try to eat us." Percy jumped in after a minute of watching Leo growing uncomfortable with someone touching her.

"Don't worry buddy," Leo quickly assured him. "I'll see you around, okay?"

Percy dragged Tyson away by his elbow while he waved, Leo waved back and returned to her own cabin, where she fell into a light sleep in her claimed corner.

* * *

**I apologise for how long it took to update this. But I hope you are enjoying the story still. **


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

* * *

It was early, the sun had yet to peak over the horizon when half of cabin eleven's occupants bolted up right at the incessant banging on the cabin door. Leo kept her eyes trained on the door from the shadowed corner, leaning against the wall with her backpack next to her foot. One of the younger boys swung the door open, his shoulders slumped and head still heavy with sleep, he rubbed his eyes blearily before squeaking and ducking behind the door as the wakers came into focus.

Clarisse stood looking grim, a backpack looped over one shoulder and her spear in her hand. Behind her stood Abraham, the tall and stocky redhead with ice blue eyes and Silena, her incredibly long black hair braided down her back, dark blue eyes glimmering with some untold emotion in her hands was the blade Leo had given her during the bull attack.

"Where's Valdez, pipsqueak?" Clarisse asked gruffly, casting a dark look over the gathered campers, all which pointed to the back corner in unison. Leo huffed brushing a hand through her knotted curls as she stood and walked over to the door.

"Grab your stuff, we're going on a quest." Clarisse continued.

"Uh… my math could be wrong here, but quests are limited to three people…" Conner piped up eyeing the two Ares campers and the daughter of Aphrodite.

"Zip it, Stoll. Selena isn't joining the quest. We need to leave now Leo so hurry it up." Clarisse ordered before turning away. Leo rolled her eyes at the beefy girls back but grabbed the strap of her backpack and rushed out of the cabin slamming the door behind her.

She followed the trio at a leisurely pace, they were heading towards the beach, so Leo wasn't too fussed if she lost sight of them. She tugged at the edge of the gauze Will had wrapped her arm in after stitching up the cut, it had been an irritatingly long visit the day before as the sunny son of Apollo scolded her repeatedly for avoiding him after the bull attack. Her ribs still ached but he had been quick to mend her dislocated shoulder without much warning, Will smiled innocently when she glared at him for it.

When Leo caught up with them at the shoreline Selena was rambling about her father trying some recipe for bonbons. Clarisse and Abraham were clearly ignoring her as they waited for their transport.

"What is it your father does, Silena?" Leo asked to announce her presence, Abraham grumbled under his breath as Silena brightened at her arrival.

"He's a chocolatier. He makes some of the best chocolates and candies, he's very famous among some celebrities. Tristan Mclean comes into the store personally at least once a month to hand pick things for his daughter."

"Seriously?" Leo practically laughed, she remembered how when she first became friends with Piper Mclean.

She had lamented quite frequently the first couple of weeks about how she wished her father paid more attention to her, but she had stopped complaining when she found out Leo had no family – at least, none that wanted her.

"Yup, it's usually always the same order but he likes to make it personal, I guess." Silena sighed a little. "I couldn't imagine how hard it must be for them. Never having a private moment to spend a little time together."

Leo smiled softly but the moment was shattered when Clarisse loudly cleared her throat as a ghostly looking war ship breached the surface of the water and gently glided into the soft sand, awaiting it captain. Leo send Clarisse a look when she noticed the ghastly ghost-zombie crew wearing grey war confederate uniforms.

"When they died, they swore allegiance to Ares and now serve to uphold any purpose he gives them. Right now, that's to get this ship and us through the sea of monsters and to Polyphemus's island." She shrugged moving to follow Abraham.

"Right, that sounds like great fun. Why am I here, Clarisse?"

"You're one of the least annoying campers here." She snapped not turning back. "Tell me Valdez, do you only know how to make weapons and dumb toys?"

"I can make just about anything." She defended indignantly. "And Festus isn't a toy."

Clarisse wasn't listening, she was onboard and crying out orders fiercely. Leo turned back to Selena with an awkward smile.

"Sorry… uhm… I guess I'll see you later?"

"Yeah," The girl nodded affirmatively. "Oh, I wanted to give you the dagger back but then the birds attacked and—"

"Wait," Leo interrupted holding a hand up. "Why would you give it back? It's yours, Selena. You asked me last summer for a weapon."

Selena fumbled over her words mimicking a gaping fish, Leo grinned a little at the reaction.

"I don't… I mean I can't even use it."

"Then learn, ask one of the Stoll brothers if they can show you a few things."

"And you'll teach me after your quest?" Selena asked hopefully.

"Sure, I can show you a few things, but if you ever want to use a sword, you'll need to find a new teacher." She tried to joke, her throat feeling rather dry as Selena's smile widened. "I should go, they can't exactly leave without me."

"They could try."

Leo tossed her back and laughed as she took a few steps backwards and climbed onto the ship. Clarisse was on the deck, leaning casually against the railing her eyes filled with mirth and Leo groaned, waiting for the oncoming ribbing as they started to move.

They matched looks for a solid minute before Clarisse cracked a small smile, batting her eyes jokingly. It was a strange thing to see and Leo almost laughed.

"'_I can show you a few things'_."

"Shut up, Clarisse. I was just being nice, okay?"

Clarisse sobered with a chuckle, "Did Selena really ask you to make her a weapon? And you made that dagger, specifically for her?"

"Yes, it's nice. Don't you think?" Leo asked as she made her way to the cockpit on instinct. She wasn't sure if anyone but her and the dead guys could sail a ship.

"I saw it when we were at the canoe lake, it was certainly pretty, and a lot of work went into it." Clarisse commented suggestively.

"Yeah, I guess so. I didn't want to make it a rushed job, besides with the way things are going everyone is going to need to train soon."

"I suppose." Clarisse sighed heavily when they entered the cubby like room, her shoulders instantly becoming slack and her face dropped becoming softer and etched with worry. "Do you really think we can do this?"

Leo remained silent thinking over everything she knew about the sea of monsters and Polyphemus. She knew it wouldn't be complete without consequences and unwanted guests.

"If we all come together in the end, I believe there isn't much we can't do." She answered honestly, she wasn't just talking about camp half-blood where there was an obvious divide among campers and even some cabins, but she was talking about the Roman camp and Gaia's uprising.

"There you go again." Clarisse snorted effectively breaking the tense atmosphere. "Being overly cryptic and wise."

Leo smiled sadly before shaking away her feelings and plastering her carefree smile on, gesturing to the control panel. "Do you mind if I steer for a while?"

Clarisse's eyes widened minutely in surprise before she steeled her features and grunted, "Just don't sink us, Valdez."

"If we sink it won't be my fault." She shot back as Clarisse disappeared, "Besides, I'm pretty sure we blow up." She added quietly to herself turning to the panel and entering the longitude and latitude numbers.

* * *

Leo spent the night keeping the boat on track despite the empty glares she received from the dead sailors. Festus had curled up on her shoulder and dozed off peacefully, emitting small puffs of smoke from his nose while Leo wondered what was happening at camp, they were making good time as the ship was steamed powered. Abraham had come in earlier and handed her some water and rations before leaving without a word. They were passing Virginia Beach when things started to get sticky and Clarisse jumped into leader mode, tossing out orders and commands.

Leo ran down to the engine room fearing the worst but heaved a heavy breath when she noted the temperature gauge was still sitting steadily in the green zone. That was good, green meant good and that no one was about to blow up. From below deck Leo faintly heard the Ares siblings cursing up a storm and stomping around.

"Screw them damn heroes!" Abraham hollered. "I couldn't give my left nut sack if they're in the way, you follow command and fire!"

'_What the…?' _Leo thought only to topple to the floor as the entire cruiser rattled with force of the cannon. Leo pulled herself to her feet shakily making her way towards top deck where she was met with the half ghosts, Abraham seeming less than pleased and Clarisse who wore full battle regalia and a smug if irritated look.

"Stupid, damned morons." She muttered under her breath catching sight of Leo she glared. "Did you know?"

"Know what? What were you shooting at?" Leo returned with a raised eyebrow; Clarisse deflated.

"Those two idiots have left camp with Percy's brother. No doubt trying to get the fleece before we do."

Leo groaned, raising one hand to rub her forehead she was hoping she'd be able to avoid Percy and Annabeth for at least another day.

"That's just great," She sighed. "Why not show them around before dinner?"

"Sure," The larger girl nodded albeit reluctantly. "Are you going hide again or will you join us?"

Leo was about to decline eating with them but at thought of the way the other two demigods could have been treating Tyson, she nodded with a small frown. Leo had been in the system long enough to know that even though the cyclopes looked almost fourteen or fifteen he had the mind of a seven or eight-year-old – effectively making it easier for him to become upset and crack under harsh treatment.

When she entered the captain's quarters, Abraham was there tucking into peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, Leo took a seat and opened a bag of chips. The stoic redhead seemed intent on making her uneasy as he stared at her while they ate, Leo tapped _I love you_ in Morse code with her free hand and glance periodically at the door waiting for the other four.

"Whatcha tapping?" Abraham eventually asked causing Leo to jump and move her hand from the tabletop to rest on her knee instead.

"Nothing." She mumbled; Abraham scoffed lightly as he rolled his eyes.

"Isn't nothing, girlie. The way you were tapping that sequence, it seemed like a habit or instinctive." He pointed out. "Look, we don't have like each other to be on a quest together, but we can at least be civil."

"It's Morse code. Something _mi mamá_ taught me." She answered quietly after a moment.

Abraham nodded shortly appearing interested, "Where you from?"

"Originally? Houston but I left when I was around ten and I've moved a lot since then. What about you, where are you from?"

"Dallas, Texas." He proclaimed proudly, raising his chin. "You got family still in the south?"

Leo nodded slowly raising her right thumb to chew the cuticle nervously, "_Abuelos_ passed when I was a baby and my _abuela_ a few years later. I have an Aunt Rosa and a younger cousin – Rosita, I think."

"You don't know your own cousins name?" He asked sceptically, Leo ducked her head tapping her finger against her knee repeatedly.

"I haven't seen or spoken to her since I was kid."

Abraham looked like he was about to say something, but the door swung open just then to reveal Clarisse, a couple of confederate soldiers, Percy, Annabeth and Tyson. Annabeth scowled deeply when she spotted the dark-haired Latina casually eating chips and drinking Dr. pepper.

"You mean your own cabin mates wouldn't help you?" Percy was saying, Clarisse bristled squaring her shoulders in preparation for a fight.

"Shut up _Prissy, _I can handle this! I have two trustworthy companions, so I don't need you or your girlfriend!" She hissed.

"Look Clarisse, we think that Luke is going after the fleece, he has this boat filled with monsters." Annabeth chipped in like she hadn't been glaring between Leo and Tyson who had still let go of her hand.

"Good, then we will blow them up, right Leo."

"That would be stupidly reckless especially when we're on a time limit to get through the sea of monsters." Leo hummed casually smiling innocently towards the quartet. Tyson grinned, releasing Annabeth's hand to clap excitedly.

"Leo!" He cried dropping into the chair to her. "You're here too!"

"Yeah, do you like the ship, it's pretty cool, huh?" Leo answered, her body language doing a complete one-eighty becoming softer and open towards Tyson. Said cyclopes clapped once more and happily divulged everything about what he loved about the steamboat, right down to the noise it made.

All the while, Clarisse and Abraham argued with Percy and Annabeth about joining the quest to get the fleece. Percy wanted to find Grover and stop Luke as well as save the camp.

"Look, Clarisse. Tantalus doesn't care about the camp and he wants you to fail, do you see that? He's set you up."

"I don't care what you think, Percy. I'm not about to let you, either of you, take over this quest. I will succeed in retrieving the fleece, no matter what the Oracle says—"

Leo's head snapped to the side when the Oracle was mentioned, Clarisse hadn't told them what her prophecy was and Leo didn't really expect her to now, instead Clarisse clamped her mouth shut as her cheeks tinged pink.

"What? What did the Oracle say?"

"It doesn't matter, you can stay a board for now. The captain will assign you hammocks on the berth deck."

Leo sent Tyson a reassuring half grin and gently took his massive, calloused hand in her smaller, smoother one. She turned to Clarisse and said; "I'm gonna show Tyson the boiler room."

Clarisse waved her off having seen how much she cared for the young cyclops, not that she really minded having Tyson onboard. Clarisse was willing to admit the overly hostile looks and attitude from the usually calm and at ease blonde set her on edge. Both children of war could sense the storm brewing between the Latina and blonde, now they had the choice to let it blow in its own time and risk the quest or add fuel to the fire and watch them erupt.

Clarisse snickered to herself as she was left alone in the captain's' quarters, she knew which option she'd rather go for. If only to see the fire in Leo come alive, if Annabeth continued to send Tyson distasteful looks Leo was no doubt going to combust and Clarisse most definitely wanted to be there to see it.

Leo sent most of the evening in the boiler room tinkering with pieces of wire and springs to make a windup toy, occasionally she'd shovel some coal into the boiler to keep them moving. She hadn't spoken to Percy but had been able to spend some time with Tyson before he gave a wide yawn and curled up in the corner to sleep. Leo was torn between feeling hurt on the cyclopes' behalf, he knew Annabeth didn't like him and more than likely blamed him for something his brethren did.

She wanted to be pissed at the daughter of Athena but didn't seem to have the energy to be mad for too long. Sure it was understandable to hate monsters considering they were always trying to kill them but Tyson was still just a baby and had been hurt himself, so really Annabeth had no reason to be projecting her hatred onto him. It wasn't fair on him.

* * *

Leo made her way to the top deck as the sun peeked over the horizon, casting a deep reddish orange hue on the reflective surface. Leo shuddered a little at the sight, the image reminding her a little too much of blood tainting the ocean, she swallowed thickly as memories flashed before her eyes.

_Percy holding riptide and doing everything he could to fend off a dozen or so monsters. He had backed up to the edge of the river, hoping it would be able to protect him if needed. Annabeth was behind him, her eyes a pure molten gold, no one had thought about the eidolons since Piper ordered them to leave the Argo and to never possess someone on board again._

_Technically they had adhered to their promise and took over the daughter of Athena on Gaia's domain, the eidolons had used the blonde to run Percy through the back with the bone sword she obtained from Tartarus. The son of the sea had choked on his own blood before collapsing into the water where he had died. _

Leo shook herself from the past, blinking away the tears that had blurred her vision for a moment. A pitiful, humourless smile made its way onto her face, Percy was afraid of drowning, of his connection with the sea one day failing him and, in the end,, he died standing right next to his salvation. Leo sucked in a calming breath of salty air as someone strolled up behind her, Leo hoped it was one of the Ares kids.

"What are you doing here?" Annabeth demanded softly, not wishing to disturb the serenity of the early morning.

"Taking in the view," She snarked in reply, "I reckon we're almost at the entrance."

"I meant," The blonde ground out. "What are you doing on this quest."

"I was invited by the one who was issued the quest, didn't you gather that yesterday?"

Annabeth didn't reply immediately, and Leo stared over the edge of the steamboat lost in her own thoughts. It was silent between them for so long that the Latina had almost forgotten Annabeth was even there.

"Why are you so nice to him?" She asked in a small voice, Leo half turned with a raised eyebrow. "Tyson… is a cyclops. Not a friend to you, me, Percy or any demigod."

"He is just a child, Annabeth. You can't blame him for something he didn't do."

"That doesn't matter!" She cried, her voice becoming hysterical. "He is a monster and one day, he will choose to be a monster. Maybe not today or tomorrow but he will turn against us and he will kill us all!"

Leo snarled like a vicious dog and spun on the blonde, knife in hand. The memory of her murdering Percy – A guy who loved her so much he walked through Tartarus – still fresh in her mind. Leo was unaware that her skin and hair began to smoke as tiny embers burst through the surface of her skin readily.

"He is not a monster! He is only a child, a child who has clearly been hurt and hated by his _own kind _several times over. And just when he finally finds a friend, a family and a place where he is supposed to belong, he is tossed aside and made into an outcast by his own brother." Leo all but screamed at the steely eyed girl before her.

Annabeth didn't so much as twitch at the aggression, "We have all been hurt by monsters, ones just like him and Tyson is no different. It's in his nature—"

"His nature? His gods damned _nature _has nothing to do with it. This is you pushing your hatred and guilt onto a little boy who doesn't know any better. And, yeah if he is continued to be treated like the enemy then that's what he'll become. My gods Annabeth." Leo ranted but her fury had dissipated to nothing but pity.

"He is a monster, _Leo!"_ Annabeth sneered. "You can defend him all you want but he will always be a monster!"

Leo had had enough. She knew Percy during the war with the giant was completely besotted with the blonde and her powerful nature, but Leo had also seen during that time that it was belittling the way the acted. Annabeth was constantly surprised when Percy showed the slightest bit of intelligence and was threatened whenever he brought up another female.

But it had never sat right with the Latina who had never really been romantically in love with anyone before, she had tried to get to know Annabeth before the girl was too suborn and narrow minded in her own sense.

Leo struck out, in a foolishly naïve hope that it would knock a little sense into the blonde. A loud smack echoed around the deck, followed by three gasps of surprise as Annabeth stumbled to regain her footing, Leo didn't care. She merely shoved passed the girl and her quest companions reaching into her pocket for the wind-up spider she had made and dropping it to the floor to give Annabeth an extra fright.

The Latina remained in the boiler room, tinkering with various pieces of metal, wires and bolts. She eventually made her way topside, with a few things stored away in her toolbelt when Clarisse made her presence known.

"You can't just sit down here and sulk, you know." She drawled, her arms folded over her chest and her jaw set sternly. "That was some smack you gave her."

"I know, I just needed some time to cool off." Leo sighed before pushing to her feet and brushing her hands over her oil stained jeans. "We nearly there?"

Clarisse only nodded and Leo hurried up the stairs and towards the top deck as the boat shuddered and shook, alarms rang shrilling above her. She refused to meet anyone's gaze as she gripped the railing tight enough for her knuckles to turn white, preparing for the worst to happen.

* * *

**So Leo and Annabeth haven'y been seeing eye to eye for a little while - mainly since Annabeth accused her of stealing Zeus' bolt but now it's getting more interesting. Earlier, Leo mentions her grandmother and grandfather before mentioning Aunt Rosa and her cousin Rosita who is from the Walking Dead as well as Abraham. **


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

* * *

The last thing Leo remembered before waking up on the island being watched over by a fiercely beautiful girl was running down to the boats boiler room and then being blasted backwards. She recalled Percy shouting at her to get to the lifeboat and Tyson following her but that was all before, she blacked out.

Leo woke up with a small, pitiful whine as her head pounded from the inside, she moved sluggishly blinking at the luminescent surroundings blearily.

"Oh, good. You're awake." The young brunette spoke up. "I'm Reyna, we were starting to worry. You've been asleep for two days."

"Where am I?" Leo groaned, pushing herself up into a sitting position. Her eyes widened as what was said sunk in. "Reyna? Praetor of Rome, daughter of Bellona Reyna?"

She giggled lightly brushing back her dark hair, "No, silly, it's just Reyna. My sister and I live on the island with our mentor C.C., we found you near the boat's, unconscious."

Leo observed her surroundings cautiously, she was in what looked like a rather lavish hotel room. In the largest and probably the most comfortable bed she had ever been in, it was like lying on a cloud and she entertained the whispered thought of just staying there.

Then she remembered, she was on a quest to retrieve the golden fleece from Polyphemus with Clarisse and Abraham, two children of Ares. Their transport, a confederate steamboat had exploded when they reached the entrance of the sea of monsters, she had been in the boiler room with Tyson trying to give the others time to escape.

"I can't stay here." She mumbled a little sadly, Reyna was sweet and not as scary as she was in Camp Jupiter.

"But you could, even for a little while." Reyna smiled brightly. "This is C.C.'s spa and resort, you can spend as much time as you want to recover and recuperate before continuing with your journey."

Leo raised an eyebrow with a deadpan look, "Did you read that straight from the training manual of manipulation or something."

Reyna looked to the carpet, her ears burning a dark pink and Leo had to bite her tongue to stop her laughter because no way had she just made Reyna, the stoic praetor of Rome blush.

"I'm sorry, I have only just started this job, I usually cater to our guests. Bringing them fresh towels or drinks, my sister is a lot better at talking to them than I am."

"Hey," Leo said softly, placing a hand on top of Reyna's comfortingly. "It's okay to be nervous when you try new things, you might not always succeed the first time around, but you learn."

They shared a smile and Leo swung her legs off the side of the bed, her bare feet touched the plush carpet followed by a bolt of pain that ricocheted through her entire body. She winced, hissing between her teeth.

"That doesn't sound too good. What happened?"

"My boat exploded; I was right in the middle of it."

If Reyna found the situation strange or farfetched, she didn't say, only pursing her lips in confusion. Leo didn't blame her; how many people could say the stood in the middle of a burning inferno that then blew up and walk away virtually unscathed. Leo only hoped that the others were alright, she knew Tyson was immune to fire just like her, but she couldn't recall everything that happened after the CSS _Birmingham_ was destroyed.

"If you are ready, I can give you a tour of the resort." Reyna spoke up once Leo finished lacing up her boots. "Your weapons are currently being sharpened and polished and your jacket was mended recently."

She pointed to the cupboard Leo had noticed on her initial observation. Inside, hanging on a hook on the inside of the door was her armour, her protection against most of the things that went bump in the night. Of course, Leo knew it was ridiculous sentiment that kept her so attached to the army jacket, but she had it for so long and had made it so far in her miserable life that she became somewhat dependant on it. She shrugged it on, instantly feeling better as she covered her tanned, scarred arms and quickly stuffing her feet into her boots that sat at on one of the shelves.

"Okay, I'm ready." She confirmed and Reyna grinned wider as she escorted Leo around the spa and resort cheerfully pointing out every little thing that might interest her.

* * *

Leo was admittedly fascinated, if a little worried. The entire place was full of women, not that anyone would complain about that really. But it did leave a heavy pit in her stomach, her instincts screamed at her that something was wrong, and trouble was just around the corner. The entire thing reminded her eerily of Medea and her magic compelling Jason and herself to fight to the death.

It was until Reyna led her to C.C.'s office after receiving her knife and Festus that it all started to make sense. In the large office, shoved in one corner of the room was an equally large pen full of guinea pigs, a young blonde stood in a white Greek style dress, sections of her golden curls were braided with shimmering ribbons and a belt looped around her waist were a newly polished blade sat.

"Annie?" Leo breathed, suddenly feeling guilty for slapping her who knows how long ago.

"Leo?" The blonde asked in just as much surprise, but the blonde rushed towards her wrapping Leo up in a warm, friendly embrace. "I'm so glad you're okay."

"Yeah, um…" Leo coughed awkwardly. "Was the spider a little too much?"

Annabeth pulled back with a watery smile but shook her head, "No, no I deserved that."

C.C. cleared her throat pointedly, commanding everyone's attention back on her. Leo gave her an unimpressed look.

"Can't you see we're having a moment here?" It wasn't the smartest idea to antagonise the woman, but it seemed to be the only thing Leo could do in that moment.

"Please, leave me with our… guests for a moment, girls." The woman demanded politely. Reyna gave Leo a sad smile before disappearing with an older girl, probably her sister.

Circe began some evil spiel about how men were pigs and women should never be in their shadows, followed by something about magic and sorcery being the only way for women to rise to power. Leo honestly wasn't listening; she was wondering where Percy was it wasn't until Circe brought up powerful sorceresses from the past Leo actually started to listen again.

"My niece Medea and Calypso… now they were some powerful women." Circe grinned evilly her beautiful features darkening with malice. "And me of course, the most powerful of all!"

"Eh..." Leo gave a so-so gesture with her hand; she had met both Calypso and Medea at one point and she was quite frankly disappointed with Circe. "I was kind of expecting more, you know. It's like sicing yourself up for a great party only for it fall short of your expectations."

"Met a lot of sorceresses have you, Leo Valdez?" Circe drawled turning her full attention to the Latina, giving her a full once over something akin to shock fell over her face. "Of course, the fates have meddled with your path. Using your death to alter the future from its destruction. Oh, how pitiful of them."

Annabeth watched in confusion, a million and one questions burning in her mind. She had no idea what was going on between Circe and Leo, but she had to find Percy first. As Circe was musing over the fate's choices of meddling in mortal and demigod lives more than they should, Leo had started to tinker using Festus as a soldering iron.

"Yeah, well I didn't have much of a say in the matter. I was dead." She quipped, "But as for your other question, yes I have met both Medea and Calypso and let's just say they are way more impressive. I mean Medea almost got me to kill one of my closest friends, almost – we had a more powerful charm speaker on our side."

As Leo continued to enrage Circe, Annabeth formed an escape plan pushing all thoughts and questions regarding Leo to the back of her mind. Percy and she had had a very important talk before they landed in the resort about Tyson and Leo. It may have taken her a while to get passed her stubborn pride but she eventually realised that Percy would always take Leo's side, no matter the consequences or circumstances and Tyson was his brother, without a shadow of a doubt he was heartbroken he may be dead. Annabeth had regretted what she said about the cyclopes before and how she easily believed Leo was their enemy.

"How? Medea has been dead for many years…" Circe probed curiously but Leo gave no consistent answer, simply continuing to build her device, a compass of sorts.

"And Calypso," Leo sighed dreamily at the mention of Atlas' child, Annabeth's ears perked up at the sound. "Now she was definitely something special. Could see into the future and the past, loved so easily and unconditionally… nothing like you of course. Driving all of your hate and cruelty into manipulating people, using the things they hate about themselves to keep them here."

Circe smiled congenially, folding her hands together neatly.

"You are wise beyond your years, my dear. Tell me, why would you risk your life a second time for the people who shun you, for a father who will not claim you?"

"Everything has it's time, now isn't the time to get into all that."

"You can stay here, forever. Be happy and cared for… I could even bring Calypso here if you wish." Circe tried once more, this time Leo froze and slowly met the sorceress's dark green eyes that glinted with triumph.

It was a trick and she knew it but something about seeing Calypso again was just too alluring. Leo had made a promise to come back for her after the war, Calypso had laughed her off saying no one had ever found Ogygia twice.

"You couldn't… it's not possible." She whispered, a hint of pain filled hope tinted her voice and Circe grinned secretly.

"There is very little I cannot do. If you and Annabeth decide to stay, I can promise she will be here with you and your friend will be well taken care of. Kindergarteners will just adore him."

Leo met Annabeth's eyes; an agreement passed between them.

"We'll stay but… could you give us a minute?" Annabeth spoke pleadingly. "To say goodbye."

"Of course, dear." With a wave of her hand thick metal bars sealed the windows assuring they couldn't get out. "Just to ensure your privacy."

They waited for a minute to make sure she was really gone before Annabeth made a beeline for the guinea pig cage. It was impossible to determine which one was Percy as they all squealed at the sight of the blonde.

"Leo, Percy's clothes are under the loom." Annabeth announced loudly and Leo felt the urge to scoff. "Find the bottle."

"Bottle of what?" She asked raking through the discarded jeans a bottle of multivitamins tumbled to the floor and rolled over to Annabeth. "Vitamins? Really?"

"There from Hermes." She stated as if that explained everything while she popped the lid and ate a little yellow chewable. "No idea what they'll do but it might give us an upper hand."

"Are they shaped like monsters?"

"Leo!" Annabeth snapped. "How did you defeat Medea? You said someone was charm speaking but what else?"

Leo blinked, she had always just assumed that as Piper became more comfortable as a daughter of Aphrodite, she became more powerful and she was able to break the spell Medea had over her and Jason.

"Uh… I don't know. I guess there was a pretty big distraction that let us get away but…" It wasn't as if they had a giant sixty-foot bronze dragon to burst through the window.

"So, make a distraction."

_Right, _Leo thought sardonically glancing around the nearly empty room._ How am I supposed to do that? With monster shaped vitamins? _

Leo floundered as Circe barged into the room again with an innocently cruel grin. Reyna and her sister, Hylla weren't with her but three other women rallied behind her. They were likely sorceresses that had trained for years with Circe.

"My, how a minute can pass so quickly." Circe mused. "What is your answer my dears?"

Annabeth pulled out her bronze dagger and stood poised for a fight, Circe and the others laughed mockingly. Leo tapped Festus who had been snoozing from his place on her wrist, he woke up groggily with slow shake of his tiny head.

"Really? A little weapon against _my magic_?" Circe sneered; Leo huffed a little wondering why the bad guys were always so arrogant.

Festus crawled up Leo's arm and down her back, the girl had to forcefully repress a shiver when his cold claws scraped into her skin. The sight of the dragon elicited a swarm of excited squeaks and squeals from the guinea pigs, drawing the sorceress's attention long enough for the dragon to swoop around Leo and Annabeth. Festus grew three feet in length, spreading his wings wide as he blew a column of fire at the women. Leo drove for the bottle of monster's shapes Annabeth had dropped and skidded to the cage, carelessly dropping the contents into the saw dust.

* * *

Leo would admit to herself that unleashing Blackbeard and his vile crew loose on an island full of women was the single most stupid thing she'd ever done. As the three demigods rushed through the resort, getting separated when Leo stopped suddenly, she had forgotten about Reyna. A terrified scream echoed in her ears, somehow being the only thing Leo could focus on during the reign of terror that surrounded her.

She ran, shoving people out of her way most of which landed on the floor or ended up in a pile up of bodies scrambling for freedom. The only thing on Leo's mind was to save Reyna from Blackbeard, maybe she could start making a difference. Maybe there was a chance she could save people that died the first time around.

Leo reached the sisters just in time, one pirate had a bruising grip on Reyna's bicep as she trembled in fear, her eyes wide and filled with unshed tears. The crew had surrounded them in a circle, Hylla was being held back by two others as she kicked and screamed to get to her sister. Leo unsheathed her hunting knife and slashed, cutting deep into each of the pirates like they were nothing, above her Festus soared and swooped, his razor like claws extended so he could claw at any of the enemies Leo didn't see.

Blood and gore sprayed over her; but Leo carried on, it was war and she wasn't about to lose this time. Neither sister would suffer but they would still hold their respective roles as Praetor and Queen one day in the future, as it was their fate, Leo was sure of it. When the last pirate fell with a gut-wrenching scream of agony Leo finally inhaled a calming breath reaching into her toolbelt for the compass device she had put together and pushing it into Reyna's shaking hand.

"Here, take this. Get a boat and leave." She advised, Hylla regarded Leo with a look of terror and respect. Probably because she had risked her own life for two people she didn't know.

"Why…?" She choked. "Why help us?"

"Everyone needs a little help sometimes; you should never be afraid of that." Leo brushed off.

Reyna looked up at her from where she had crumpled to the floor, her eyes were wide and gleaming as she steeled her shoulders and clenched her jaw.

"Where do we go now?" She asked in such an innocent tone Leo had to do a double take and make sure it was really the same Reyna she knew.

"All roads lead to it. That device I gave you will lead you to safety." Leo smiled forcefully, absently wiping blood from her cheek as she backed away. "Stay safe Reyna Avila Ramirez-Arellano."

And then she was gone, practically flying through the air at the speed she was running to catch up with the other two demigods. Percy was at the helm doing everything in his power to slow the boat they acquired down, and Annabeth released the sails, tossing one of the ropes towards Leo. Said demigod held the end of the rope tightly, swinging through the air and landing on the deck, stumbling and falling to her knees with a grunt.

Festus shrieked in the air above them, Leo heard Annabeth asking something, but it was garbled and indecipherable as her vision swam in and out of focus. Leo felt a hand calming hand on her shoulder and warm metal pressing against her abdomen as she blacked out.


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

* * *

When Leo came to a second time, she was still lying on the deck of the _Queen Anne's Revenge, _Festus had kept his larger size and curled up next to her, resting his head on her stomach. Annabeth was leaning over the railing watching the small waves that lapped at the side of the boat as Percy stood proudly at the helm, steering them towards their destination.

Leo was afraid to ask how long she'd been out but one look from Percy told her it was the least of her concerns. Annabeth released a worn sigh as a misty, creepy looking island appeared in the distance.

"We'll be within hearing range of the sirens songs soon." She informed with a misty look in her storm cloud eyes. Leo understood the look, it was wanting – Annabeth was quietly yearning for something she probably filed away as impractical.

"That's no problem, we can just plug our ears. There is plenty of candle wax we can use." Percy chimed, keeping a watchful eye on the horizon. Annabeth hesitated, before shaking her head and scolding herself.

"How far out are we anyway?" Leo croaked, her throat was dry and hoarse, and it cracked a little as she spoke. Festus puffed a small cloud of steam from his nostrils when Leo moved to stand.

"Not that far, we should make it to Polyphemus' island by morning."

"And the sirens?" She asked moving a little unsteadily across the deck.

Annabeth chewed the corner of her bottom lip, wrapping her arms around herself like a hap-hazard attempt to shield herself away from Leo's prying gaze.

"It's like Percy said. We can use the candle wax to plug our ears until we're a safe distance away from their island."

It was clear to see she was reluctant to go through with the plan and it wasn't because stuffing wax into your ears was an unpleasant experience. She was curious about the sirens song and what it could possibly call to her about, Leo wasn't about to admit it, but she had a similar rush of curiosity until a little though niggled its way into the forefront of her mind.

The sirens would show her the seven, her friends and her mother, most of which were dead or not like they were, and Leo wasn't sure which was worse. It was that thought standing firm that made Leo brush away the morbid idea of listening to a sirens call, it would be physically painful and mentally exhausting.

They sailed away from the Sirens without much trouble and only the sound of blood pounding in their ears due to the wax earplugs. Sailing smoothly to the island, to Grover and the golden fleece. Leo had never been more relieved to be so close to danger because once arriving at Polyphemus' island it would mean they had successfully sailed the Sea of Monsters and the problem they had to face was a half blind cyclopes and Luke with a yacht of monsters.

The last thing Leo would have imagined she'd face in her demigod life would be killer sheep. Herds of sweet, fluffy looking sheep that grazed leisurely on the rolling hilltops of Polyphemus's island with the added bonus that they could render any living creature to nothing but a pile of white bones, picked clean of any meat in a matter of seconds. That was definitely not something Leo ever imagined encountering and she certainly didn't have a plan for it.

"Okay, who's planning on taking point on this because I've got nothing." Leo murmured as quietly as possible so as to not draw attention.

"Really?" Annabeth scoffed, sending her a disbelieving look. "I thought you had a plan for everything."

"Under normal circumstances I would say I do but not for flesh eating herbivores."

"That's a contradictory statement. They cannot be classed as an herbivore and eat meat." The blonde shot back.

Percy growled a little and sent them both a death glare, "They can if they're an omnivore." He mumbled.

* * *

**I'm going to skip to the end of this quest because I've had some trouble trying to complete it.**

* * *

Clarisse smiled sheepishly as Percy handed over the Golden fleece, it shimmered in her hands and changed into a letterman's jacket that the daughter of Ares quickly shrugged on. Annabeth was counting the last of their mortal money that hadn't been lost during the quest with a pensive expression.

"We don't have enough to get everyone back to Long Island." She said quietly, not meeting anyone's eyes. Leo cocked her head to the side noticing an abandoned police cruiser.

"How far do you think we can get in the car before we're pulled over?" Leo asked, directing her question at Percy who gave a tired but crooked grin.

"Not far enough," Annabeth interjected sternly. "Besides none of us are old enough to drive."

Grover trotted over and bleated nervously, "Actually Annabeth, Leo knows a lot more than you'd think."

The blonde looked around the group, hoping someone else had the sense to say something against letting Leo behind the wheel of another car. Especially at the age of fourteen considering the last time she crashed into a tree at the base of Half-Blood hill.

"I guess we're stealing a police car." Percy chirped, happy to continue being his typical delinquent self.

"I guess so." Leo replied, conspicuously making her way over. "I promise no one will die… or get seriously injured."

Everyone arrived at camp together contradicting the prophecy given, Clarisse and her brother Abraham exited the car first, quickly followed by Annabeth and a sickly looking Grover. Percy and Leo waited as the camp cheered and surrounded the others before leaving the relative safety of the car.

"Hey, Leo?" Percy asked as she moved to unlock the door. "What do you think is going to happen now?"

Leo hesitated, staring into his warm sea green eyes. They were so different from when he crawled out of Tartarus, they had been dark and fierce and full of hatred. Even just the thought of the dark storm the raged in a time that no longer happened made a shiver of fear creep up her spine.

"I think… we should prepare for the worst but pray that it doesn't come to pass." Leo sighed. "This isn't the time to start dividing the camp, Luke has already started recruiting and it's not just Greek demigods or monsters."

Percy's brows scrunched together in confusion, "What do you mean? Do you think there could be other versions of the gods and other types of demigods?" He asked, staring out of the windshield to were Clarisse was placing the golden fleece on one of the top branches of Thalia's pine tree.

At least the camp was safe for now, the magical barrier will start to strengthen and heal Thalia enough that she didn't need the tree to keep her life preserved. Leo watched feeling lost, she missed _her_ friends – Jason and Piper. Jason who was at a Roman camp that no one was supposed to know about, not yet at least because it would be too dangerous to bring the camps together earlier even though that's what Kronos was accomplishing.

"There could be, we wouldn't know if there was." Leo mused a little. "But for now, we should focus on what we know and what we can do to keep the ones we care about safe and alive."

Percy sighed a little, he was hoping Leo would open up a little about her past. Sure, he knew about her mom dying and how she was sent to one bad foster home after another and eventually decided it was safer to live on the streets. But Percy was curious – perhaps morbidly so – about the war Leo hinted at, he was sure it wasn't the one he was foretold to complete but a different one which gave him the idealistic hope that they would survive whatever was on the horizon.

"Are you sticking around?" He asked as the slammed their respective doors shut.

"Yeah, I think I will. For a while at least."

Leo spent the next few day alternating between training – mostly with Silena who had gotten pretty good with the dagger – and building weapons and traps in bunker nine.

When Thalia was found one crisp morning everyone was in shock, Leo wasn't totally sure why until Annabeth informed her that the daughter of Zeus was supposed to turn sixteen in December. Of course, Leo was the only one that knew Thalia didn't want to be the prophecy child and would become a hunter of Artemis a few weeks shy of her birthday.

* * *

As summer faded into autumn, most of the campers prepared to leave and join their mortal parents for the school year starting in September. Leo filled out the form that Mr D sent to each camper near the end of summer to find out who was leaving and who was staying for the year. She was in bunker nine working on a catapult that would throw celestial bronze nets to make capturing monsters a lot easier when Festus perked up and flew to the entrance to open it. Silena was waiting outside awkwardly picking bits of moss from her shirt.

"Hi!" She said a little too brightly when she noticed Leo watching her even though the Latina was covered in a thin sheen of sweat and smeared with oil and grease.

"Hey." Leo replied crossing arms in amusement. Silena blushed a little. "What are you doing?"

"I was looking for you and considering you weren't in the training arena or the rock wall and Percy left a few days ago. I figured you be here; it took a while to find the right path, but a couple of Dryads were kind enough… I'm rambling, aren't I?"

Leo chuckled and moved over to the bunkers entrance, Festus dropped onto her shoulder and curled around her bicep.

"What's up?" She asked leaning casually against the stone wall, ignoring Silena's brief flash of disgust – she was a bit of a neat freak.

"I wanted to give you this." She reached into her jeans pocket and pulled out a leather cord with two coloured beads on it. "You disappeared last summer before the years beads were completed so I had one made for you fo when you came back."

Leo carefully took the necklace, wrapping the leather cord around her fingers to take a closer look at the brightly coloured clay beads. She smiled softly at the gesture.

"Thank you." She murmured; her voice was a little hoarse from emotion. "Uh… do you want to come inside?"

Silena blinked in surprise, the last time she was in bunker nine was when Leo was planning on meeting Percy on his first quest.

"I'd love to but I'm actually going home. My dad will be here to pick me up soon and I don't want to keep him waiting."

"I can walk you." She offered, "I mean if you want…" Leo brushed a hand through her loose, dirty hair suddenly feeling very nervous.

"I'd like that." Silena replied with a sweet smile, "If you're not busy."

Leo shrugged waving off her concern. "It's nothing that can't wait."

They walked through the woods quietly talking about everything that happened and what the future might hold for the demigods. Silena brought up her siblings, specifically Drew and how she had convinced everyone that in order to be worthy of their lineage they to break someone they cared abouts heart.

"That's stupid." Leo commented lightly, Silena growled in annoyance.

"Tell me about it. Just because Aphrodite is the goddess of love doesn't mean we have hurt people with it. Even if that love is somewhat frowned upon, we don't need to degrade it even further than mortals already have."

Leo felt her eyes narrow a little, Silena's word choice was unusual. She knew what kind of love Silena was talking about, homosexuality had been demonised a long time ago and mortals continued to harbour that hate. But what she didn't understand was why Silena would bring it up, as far as Leo had understood from the stories, she was in love with Beckendorf.

"What do you mean?" She decided to ask. "I thought the Greeks didn't care who was with who, so why should we care now?"

By now they had almost reached the top of the hill where a few parents stood waiting for their kids. Leo could spot the Stoll brothers racing to meet their mother and at least half the Aphrodite cabin lugging designer suitcases behind them. Silena smiled widely at her comment and her eyes flashed with guilt briefly.

"You're right." Was all she said and the continued the walk in silence.

* * *

Leo had never been gladder to be practically invisible as she was the next few months. Chiron was only seen during some lessons which Leo was able to dodge and meals, that she found herself at less as the months became colder and the winter holidays snuck up on them. She had been leaving the bunker one night when she was knocked off her feet by a Dryad, a rather pretty one with green tinted skin and bark colour hair.

"Oh! Hello." She chirped softly as Leo jumped up and helped the wood fairy to her feet. "I'm so sorry, I was looking for someone and I was told they often took solstice in the woods."

"Who are you searching for?" Leo asked curiously, she was the only demigod foolish enough to wander around the woods unless they were playing capture the flag.

"A demigod named Leo; Percy Jackson is looking for her."

Leo tipped her head to the side in thought, the last she heard from water boy was when they had two minute, top secret phone conversation a few days ago. He had called to say Grover had asked for his help in retrieving a couple of demigods from Westover Hall, Leo had declined his unspoken offer to help because she had been there once and was asked to never step foot there again after five days. She didn't think he would be back so soon, unless something bad happened.

"Percy's back?" She asked, just for clarification. The Dryad nodded with a confused pout. "Okay, where can I find him?"

"By the canoe lake. He said he would wait."

Leo sprinted through the woods and skidded to a stop in front of Percy, Thalia, Grover, an excited Italian looking kid and about a dozen or so girls dressed in silver. As she came to a stop the girls in silver turned to look at her, their leader wrinkled her nose at her in disgust and turned away.

"Don't worry about them Leo. There the hunters of Artemis." Thalia stepped away from Grover who look like he was about to pass out and gave her a shaky but comforting smile.

"I wasn't worried, you guys look like Hades on a good day. What happened?" Leo regretted asking the second she did, Percy and Thalia looked as if they were going to keel over with grief. "Perce?"

"S… she fell… off a cliff while we were fighting a Manticore."

Leo gently tugged Percy into an awkward one armed hug as she whisper soothing words in Spanish.

"What did you say to him?" The little Italian kid asked, once Percy pulled away. "Your words sounded funny."

"It was Spanish, my first language." She explained, the kid's eyes lit up and despite the circumstances, Leo found herself smiling.

"That is so cool, I can speak Italian. My mom used to speak it all the time, hey your names Leo, right?" He spoke quickly and didn't give her time to answer. "Is that short for something? Like my names Nicholas but I prefer it when people call me Nico because using my full name makes me feel like I'm in trouble."

Leo blinked once, then twice and a third time just to be sure before she glance from the smiling, boy with healthy olive toned skin shuffling a deck of cards to Percy who just nodded grimly as if to say; _Yeah, we've been listening to him the whole way here._ Leo just couldn't believe that the literal puppy cheerfully talking away despite everything that happened in the last few hours was the Ghost King, a guy who walked through Tartarus alone and found love with his polar opposite.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

* * *

Leo wasn't sure how it happened, after Chiron found out about what happened at Westover Hall, he calmly told everyone present not to worry about it but instead to welcome the hunters and prepare for a game of capture the flag the next night. No one seemed all too happy with the arrangement, but did as the centaur asked, the hunters were rather rude and uptight, mostly whenever they noticed Leo in close vicinity.

She had bailed out of the games, telling Percy with a look that he and Thalia will be captaining. Instead she showed Nico around the camp, letting him talk her ear off about his mythological card game, Mythomagic, the attack point each god had and answered his questions best she could and sharpening her blade. The next thing the unclaimed demigod was aware of was Percy dragging her on a quest to save Annabeth and Artemis after reassuring Nico they would keep his sister safe.

Apparently during the game of capture the flag the oracle had appeared and issued a quest for Zoe Nightshade which sent her and a few of her hunters on a quest to find Artemis. Percy had overheard Zoe and a few others leaving to find their lady and Percy was sure that whoever captured the goddess of the moon must have Annabeth. He gave Leo no choice in the matter as he had already stopped by the Hermes cabin and grabbed her bag before hunting her down.

"You know this is a stupid plan, right?" She questioned for the eighth time in less than an hour, Percy had ignored the remark five times, scoffed at the sixth and gave a low, resigned sigh the seventh.

"I know but what else can we do? We have to save Annabeth and the hunters won't let us help even if they are short on people."

"We could ask Thalia to come with us." Leo returned ignoring how Percy's face screwed up a little. "We have no other option. Grover left to find Pan, regardless of what the goat council said and Tyson moved to Atlantis to work in your father's forges after the sea of monsters."

Percy groaned and rubbed his eyes tiredly, "You're right."

"I'm sorry can you say that a little louder, I didn't hear you."

"We don't know where the hunters are going, and they hate the both of us for whatever reason. Thalia is are only hope of them letting us help."

"Great, I am so glad you agree _mi amigo porque nos ha estado siguiendo durante cinco minutos._"

"_Qué?"_ Percy muttered much to Leo's surprise as the daughter of Zeus made herself know by jumping out of the tree line in front of them, her electric blue eyes sparked with untold anger.

"Why'd you two idiots stop?" She demanded, clearly agitated.

"Because we have no idea where we are going, and Percy just remembered that the hunters don't like either of us." Leo chimed as she tapped Festus's head thoughtfully. The little dragon looked up, blinking his illuminant eyes blearily before tucking his head back under his wing realizing he wasn't needed.

It was a strange concept the miniature version of Hephaestus' creation took on. He slept, allowing his smaller body to cool down to almost freezing, wrapping himself around some part of Leo to keep warm like a regular reptile would. She had observed the metal dragon doing this on several occasions, but it didn't really seem worrying, so she brushed it off as a sentient learning curve.

"It doesn't matter if they hate you or not the prophecy clearly said that hunters and campers had to untie to win." Thalia chipped in with a frown. "I saw Zoe and Bianca leaving for the, we know we're are heading west."

"Why do I feel like I'm missing something?" Leo asked, looking between the sky and the sea, Thalia huffed loudly through her nose.

"Three hunters were supposed to be leaving on this quest along with me and Percy, but the other hunter is now in the infirmary with hives." She said like it cleared everything up. Leo was still at a loss; all she knew of this quest was that Bianca Di Angelo died and Thalia became a hunter.

"Okay, so we're all on the same page then." Percy said, continuing after the two hunters. "We need to catch up with them. I didn't put the Stoll's up to whatever prank they pulled to get Leo on this quest if your wondering."

"So, they just decided to spray the inside of a T-shirt with centaur blood and ask Zoe to give it to the girl that was meant to be on this quest?" Thalia snapped and Percy shrugged.

"The Stoll brothers are vindictive. Phoebe did put a lot of arrows in their armour during the game. They were probably planning this since before the oracle even showed up."

Thalia just rolled her eyes with a huff as they continued, Leo wasn't sure if she wanted to be on this quest and mess with things that built the way the Titan war worked out. If she stopped Bianca dying would Nico still run away from camp and try to resurrect the dead? Would they find and bring him back when they were exploring the labyrinth? Would Beckendorf be the one to help Percy blow up the demon-infested boat and would Luke be able to fight against Kronos' possession and end his own life?

So many questions ran through her mind at once that Leo had completely tuned out of her surroundings while Percy and Thalia snarked back and forth. The met up with the hunters and with a glare Zoe ordered them into the van she had commandeered and without warning she sped off like a bat out of hell towards their destination. Leo completely missed the distasteful looks the leader of the hunters threw at her periodically throughout the ride as she was to invested in her downward spiral. As the reach New Jersey Bianca finally spoke up, concern pouring off her in waves.

"Is your friend alright?" She had seen the girl showing Nico around when the first arrived at camp and Percy had seemed to be worried about her wellbeing when he didn't immediately see her at camp. Now he seemed more interested in his argument with the daughter of Zeus to take Leo's silence into consideration.

Zoe took her eyes away from the road a brief moment to look over the latest addition to their quest party. The girl seemed pale and sickly and her breathing came in short, quick pants. Zoe may have been born long ago but she wasn't stupid, she knew a panic attack when she saw one – whatever she had been thinking about had clearly triggered something that freaked her out. She pulled the van over, somewhere in Maryland effectively shutting the arguing duo up.

"Thy friend needs help in calming down." She stated, Percy turned to Leo who looked like she was about to throw up as she started muttering incoherent sentences in rapid Spanish. Percy blinked, he'd slowly started learning the language after his first quest – he seemed to be the only one that noticed Leo slipped into her mother tongue when she was distressed, concentrating or angry.

"Leo, _necesito que me mires_." Percy muttered. _"Necesito que cuentes hacia atrás a partir de las diez, ¿puedes hacer eso?_

With a shaky nod Leo counted, _"__Diez, nueve, ocho..."_

_"Más lento, tienes que contar más despacio. Contar conmigo." _ Percy instructed calmly, holding out ten fingers. _"__Diez, nueve, ocho..."_

_"... Siete, seis, cinco..." _Leo inhaled a calming breath between each number as they counted slowly. _"Cuatro, tres... Dos... uno..."_

"Feel better?" Percy asked with a small smile once Leo regained a bit of her dark complexion.

"Thanks," She muttered in embarrassment. "Sorry."

"There is no need for apologies." Bianca said carefully. "I hate to push but does anyone no one what we're supposed to be looking for, what's the bane of Olympus?"

"No idea." Leo said, latching on to the subject change. "We should head to D.C. It's only about sixty miles from here."

"Why?" Zoe demanded, now that the girl was better, she didn't have to act like she cared.

"Because I'm telling you to and before you argue about it not being my quest. I know that but I know what I'm doing and we need to stop in D.C, park a couple of blocks away from the monument building."

Zoe said nothing more as she started up the van, Thalia scowled at the hunter for a moment before turning her glower onto Percy. Leo spoke up before either could start debating whether sea disasters where better than sky disasters.

"Both of you can shut up. If I hear a word from either of you the rest of the way I swear to the gods I will leave you with third degree burns."

Percy and Thalia snapped their jaws shut with an audible click that had Bianca sniggering behind her hand. But the rest of the ride was blanketed in a blissful silence. Once the reached Washington and Zoe pulled over where she had been directed, everyone piled out of the van Leo was instantly on high alert look in their surroundings. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary and that was what was strange.

"This doesn't feel right." Percy muttered quietly. "Where are we heading?"

"The Smithsonian. Air and Space Museum, Artemis must have stopped there at some point." Leo answered distractedly before lowering voice so only Thalia and Percy could hear. "Do you feel like we're being watched?"

The two demigods straightened, casually looking around them as the group continued to their destination hoping for a clue as to what happened to the goddess of the moon. As the hunters looked around the museum, Leo marched into the gift shop and grabbed random items out of instinct, she wasn't sure what she was doing until she heard the screams of terrified mortals and a heart stopping roar.

"I'm going to need these." She said to the sales lady who shakily nodded before ducking under the cash register.

"Leo!" She hear Percy shout, she sprinted out of the gift shop with a maniacal grin.

"I've got an idea, distract it!"

"Distract it with what?"

Leo rolled her eyes and ripped open the 3D solar system, "Zoe, Bianca try and aim for the mouth, Percy batter up!"

Without warning she tossed planet after planet at Percy who used the flat of his blade like a baseball bat to whack the models into the lion's mouth, until it reared up on its hind legs and let out a ferocious roar. Zoe and Bianca didn't need a signal to let loose at least six arrows into the monster's mouth, it stumbled and fell onto its back motionless before slowly melting into the ground leaving behind its gold pelt.

Security guards scrambled around in a panic, trying to make sense of what just happened while Zoe tried to talk Percy into talking the lions pelt.

"It was Leo's idea so she should really take it, I mean all I did was smack a few planets." He defended; Leo snickered pulling her eyes away from the rest of the museums occupants to grab the pelt.

"If you're both done being modest, we should probably get going."

"Leo is right, we would not want to be here when reinforcements arrive."

They easily slipped out of the Smithsonian like nothing happened and headed for the van when a sleek black helicopter flew directly towards them. Percy cursed loudly as Thalia smacked her fist into her thigh in frustration.

"It's the same one from Westover hall. They probably recognise the van; we need to find another way to get out of here." Thalia explained to Leo.

"We don't have time to find a new ride, we'll just have to ditch it later." Leo countered urging everyone in with Leo climbed in the driver's seat and took off towards the fast lane and losing sight of the helicopter. "They won't stay gone for very long so if anyone was some bright ideas now would be the time to share."

"The subway, we can head south towards Alexandria!" Bianca chipped in as the helicopter reared its ugly head once more.

"Are you sure?" Bianca nodded affirmatively, "Is everyone in agreement to get the train to Alexandria?"

"Why are you stalling? Just do it!" Thalia all but screamed and Leo shot across the remaining lanes of traffic and stopped dead in the mall parking lot. It only took a few minutes to buy the tickets and board the train, safely riding away from the helicopter circling the lot.

"Nice job, Bianca."

Leo moved away from the group as Bianca explained remembering it last summer because it hadn't been there when she lived in D.C. Percy backed away in confusion and bumped Leo's shoulder playfully.

"Is there a reason you didn't want to go to Alexandria?"

Leo hesitated, shaking her head a little, "Nothing it was just a stupid dream. It just shook me it all."

"You want to talk about it?"

Leo looked at Percy, taking his warm sea green eyes. She forgotten about the dream she had at the start of winter and it was until the Smithsonian it came back.

* * *

_Leo shuffled along an abandoned road; it hadn't seemed unusual except she wasn't alone. A blonde girl with bright blue eyes stood on either side of her, sticking uncomfortably close. They were at the back of a large group of people, two rednecks that stood a little bit away one had a crossbow and the other a metal hand with a knife, they each glance sparingly in Leo's direction in worry. _

_At the front of the group there was a father carrying a child, he looked like a sheriff's deputy, but Leo wasn't completely sure as the kid beside him wore the hat. Two dark skinned women flanked the edges of the group with very different weapons; a katana and a military weapon. In the middle there was an Asian guy, with a leather sting of bead around his neck walking hand in hand with a brunette, Leo couldn't see. Slightly behind them stood a tall and well-muscled ginger man, a small Latina that resembled Leo a little and a portly looking dude with a mullet. There was a sign written in thin, loopy cursive that gave her a headache to read._

'_What does that sign say.' She heard herself ask._

'_Alexandria; your dream home awaits.' One of the blondes supplemented._

_As she took in her surroundings the dream shifted to a community, it was night and the place was lit by several fires. At first Leo wondered why so many people were out at night until she got a good look at them. Surrounding her were half decayed corpses all groaning and moaning with hunger, she stumbled away hearing screams of agony as the corpses tore living people apart with their teeth. Leo tried to run but something grabbed her, pulling her to the ground, there was a sudden crack of gunfire – a single shot and a heart wrenching scream. Leo looked up to the dark sky, smattered with starts and the dream shifted again._

_They were in underground, Leo, a grey haired woman, the redneck with crossbow and several others she couldn't recognise. But they were all moving like a well oiled unit as they grey haired lady spoke. _

'_She destroyed Alexandria, our home. She killed my son, and others if killing Alpha's hoard is the only way I can get the slightest bit of peace then so be it.' _

'_You still got Sophia.' The redneck argued. 'We still got hilltop and Oceanside, that's gotta mean something. We all got each other, you trying to get the hoard is just going to get everybody killed. Get Lee, killed.' _

_Lee? Were they talking about her? If so, why not call her Leo, like everybody else? Before she could think on it too much the woman scoffed. _

'_She can handle herself; Daryl and Sophia was my daughter. She made us a family but now she's grown up, she's her own person.'_

_Suddenly the cavern shuddered, someone shouted her name, but she could see who. Leo stood alone as the catacombs around her caved in and everything went black._

* * *

"Leo? We need to switch trains, they found us." It was Thalia, her electric blues sparked with worry and concern. Leo could see the resemblance to Jason there and then, it was a little uncanny given how they differed in physical appearances.

They switched trains twice before losing their tail and ending up at the end of the line, in an industrial area with nothing in sight but warehouses and railway tracks. Leo trotted behind the others her eyes set firmly on the snow that seemed to melt around her feet, she pulled the lion pelt out of her backpack it hand since turned into a brown fur lined jacket, she held it out to Thalia.

"You look a little cold." The punk girl shrugged it on with a shiver and a grateful smile.

They carried on walking, hoping to find another passenger train but all the found were rows and rows of fright cars and an old homeless man standing next to a trash can fire. Leo smiled and waved at the man before heading over, she spent more time that she's like to admit living on the streets and she also knew it was the best way to get directions or information.

"Do you mind if my friends and I warm up by your fire?" She asked kindly, "We seemed to have gotten turned around a bit."

"No worries, come on over." The man waved the rest over with a toothless grin. "Where is it you were heading anyway?"

"West, sir. But we got the wrong train." Leo hinted, Zoe scowled a little and huffed.

"It's not like we can contact anyone, we must finish this quest alone."

"You know you're never truly without friends," The man hummed, "You say you need a train heading west."

"Yes, sir. Do you know of any?" Percy asked eagerly, the old man pointed to a perfectly gleaming freight car free of snow that read _Sun West Line. _

"Well that's convenient." Thalia muttered, pulling her coat closer. "Thank…you."

The man was gone, taking the trashcan and the fire with him and leaving behind a cold breeze. The group moved together and climbed into the car; Leo slipped into a bright cherry red Lamborghini as Thalia hotwired a Mercedes SLK. Percy joined Thalia and pretty soon the were on their way, the hunters moved to the top deck and Leo slipped into sleep.

She dreamed she was on an island, she could feel the warm sand beneath her back from where she lay, feel the sun beating down on her and hear the calming waves lapping at the shore. Then she heard a giggle, a soft, sweet sound she never thought she'd hear again; she opened her eyes to meet soft, caramel skin, eyes the colour of the ocean and silky blonde hair tied in a loose braid.

"Calypso?"

"This is how we met," She commented, running a hand through Leo's chestnut waves. "Or at least, how we were going to meet."

Leo sat up and took in her surroundings, there was splintered wood and a small cavern, exactly like she remembered when she accidently crash landed on Ogygia. Leo felt her breath leave her and blood rush to her brain.

"Is this real?"

"Not exactly, my love. You're still in heading west with your friends, Lady Hera granted me a short window of time to speak with you. She worries about you; her warrior and I worry too."

"Calypso? What is it?" Leo could see tears in her eyes and felt her heart clench.

"I often see visions of you when I weave but this time, we are not meant to meet. I am so sorry, but this was part of the reason Gaia won and it is not your fate to come here again."

"I…I don't… understand, what are you saying?"

"When you came to Ogygia, when Khione blasted you from your ship, it was purely chance that you landed here, and we met. But as they fates have woven time and begun a knew so should you, you lead a different path this time around and you will find love in another, just like we did."

"But…" Leo could feel the tears trailing down her cheeks as Calypso laced their hands together. "I was going to find you; I made a promise."

"I know, my love." Calypso stubbornly wiped her eyes as the glistened with unshed tears. "Listen to me, this quest was a fool's errand you were not supposed to be apart of. I am just thankful you will not be there to meet my father."

Leo tried to remember what Calypso had told her about her imprisonment and her father. She aided him the first titan war and the gods banished her to Ogygia while her father was made to hold up the sky. Atlas. But she wouldn't be there when they got there.

"Leo, come back to me. We have very little time before you must wake."

"I'm right here,_ mi cielo__._"

Calypso smiled, although it was clear to see how much it hurt.

"I have told many heroes that I've loved them…"

"Ouch, now you're just twisting the knife." Leo drawled with just a hint of a smile.

"Hush, you didn't let me finish." Calypso giggled, "I have told many heroes that I loved them, and they always left, never to be seen again. By chance the one I refused to say it to was the one who is still trying to return."

"You don't need to say it Calypso, I already know."

"But I want to." She insisted. "I need to tell you that…"

Calypso choked a little, tears finally making their way down her cheeks. Leo bit her lip fighting her own crushing sadness as she lifted her hand and carefully wiped the tears away with her thumb. Cradling Calypso's jaw in hand, Leo forward ever so slightly before pausing and waiting for the other girl to decide if she wanted to move."

"_Te amo, cielo mío." _Leo murmured against Calypso's soft lips.

"And I love you, Leonida. I will always love you."

The dream faded with Calypso's whispered promise and Leo woke in the Lamborghini next Percy with a painful ache in her chest and tears dried on her cheeks.


End file.
